Schmidt, Cotter possible 2018 coaching candidates

The Highlanders have only just appointed their coach for next year but speculation is mounting already on who will coach the side in 2018.

Tony Brown was last week named as head coach of the franchise in 2017 with Scott McLeod and Mark Hammett named as assistant coaches.

Brown will head to Japan at the end of the 2017 season but McLeod and Hammett are signed with the franchise until 2019.

Brown had previously indicated he wanted to remain as assistant coach and did not want to be head coach.

But with no-one obvious coming forward, and others pulling out of the running, Brown became a stop-gap option.

That opens up the field as to who the Highlanders are willing to wait for if they become available by the 2018 season.

Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark could not be contacted yesterday but had previously said he had talked to many coaches right around the world in the past few weeks and not all were candidates for the job immediately.

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt is an obvious candidate and the Daily Mail has reported he could be a contender.

New Zealander Schmidt is in South Africa coaching Ireland. His contract with the side ends next year.

Ireland is keen to keep him until the next World Cup but with some of his children back in New Zealand at university and another child having treatment for epilepsy, he may wish to head home.

Scotland coach Vern Cotter is another prospect as his contract with Scotland finishes next year. He has been away from New Zealand for nearly 10 years and will be keen to come back.

Schmidt and Cotter have both previously coached in the Super rugby competition - Cotter was involved with the Crusaders and Schmidt with the Blues.

Both men may want to be in the mix - coaching in New Zealand - when a new All Black coach is named if Steve Hansen moves on, as expected, after the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

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