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27th October 2018
03:19pm BST

"Joe would be a very good coach with the All Blacks. We just don't know how things will play out. He's certainly qualified. Whether or not the cards fall on either side you never know. As for myself, I'll just go back farming.Cotter is 56 now and will be 58 by the time the All Blacks play again, in 2020, after the World Cup. "I would think we won't be far from coming home when this winds up [at Montpellier]," he adds, "but, in coaching, you just don't know what's going to happen.""The All Blacks is an intimidating job. To be perfectly honest I don't even think about it. All I'm trying to do is my best in Montpellier. I don't think it's a good idea to start speculating on what ifs outside."
Schmidt and Cotter started coaching together at Bay of Plenty in 2003 and were Ranfurly Shield winners within a year after their side shocked Auckland. There was a break of three seasons as Cotter went to Crusaders, under Robbie Deans, but he reunited with Schmidt when they headed off to Clermont, in France's Top 14, in 2006.
They led Clermont to the Top 14 title after losing grand finals in the previous two seasons. Cotter stayed on with the club while Schmidt branched out, leading Leinster then Ireland to untold glory. The pair clashed twice - splitting it a win apiece - in the Six Nations when Cotter had the Scotland job. He said:
"I was so glad we won the last game against Ireland because hopefully, I don't have to coach against him again. It's such bloody hard work because he is such a good coach.Most Irish fans would not begrudge Schmidt the move back to his home-land after the World Cup but - as we have noted here before - giving him the British & Irish Lions job for the 2021 tour to South Africa may convince him to stay on with the men in green."He's a good friend, and a great human being. We spend a lot of time together and stay in touch. I think he plans to go back to New Zealand at some stage and I think it'll be great for New Zealand rugby if he gets involved."
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