Ireland’s Six Nations-winning coach Joe Schmidt says rugby will take a back seat for now as he focuses on caring for his 11-year-old son who suffers from severe epilepsy.
Schmidt was reluctant to be drawn on the subject of his side’s prospects in the World Cup later this year after Ireland clinched consecutive Six Nations titles in dramatic circumstances on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) in Edinburgh.
The New Zealander stressed that his immediate priority was his son, Luke, who battled a brain tumour aged four and is undergoing treatment for epilepsy.
“We’re off overseas to see a specialist to try to get some help with our sick son, so reality for me is a long way from rugby when we fly out on Tuesday,” Schmidt said.
“I’ll park the rugby for a while and then we’ll look at the World Cup probably towards the end of April.”
Two tries by man of the match Sean O’Brien inspired Ireland to a 40-10 win over a hapless Scotland in their final Six Nations match, which ultimately proved just enough to secure their first back-to-back title wins since 1949.
England did their best to spoil the party with a stunning display of attacking rugby and fell just short of the 26 points win difference they required with a 55-35 humbling of France at Twickenham.