If the World Cup happened last year and the grand slam happened this year. Nobody would have a bad word about him. Appreciate fully the success he gave us, he deserves nothing but respect.

Best Ireland coach ever . Gave some unbelievable memories with Leinster and Ireland . Hopefully we see him coach here again in the future

Gonna miss this guy, such a shame it didn't work out the way he planned this year :(

Brilliant interview. Joe is the best coach we’ve ever had.

Super interview. Joe leaves us with the most wonderful memories of Leinster and Ireland rugby's greatest days. The best coach we have ever had. Thank you Joe for everything. "Ordinary Joe" is a wonderful read. Thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it. From his birth, through childhood, school, his teaching career, family, becoming a rugby coach, developing his coaching career as he moved from schools rugby to Auckland Blues, to Europe. From his birthplace Kawakawa, to Dublin. It's a wonderful insight into a truly remarkable life and a brilliant mind. Superb.

What a gentleman he really is, an amazing coach, Irelands best ever, thank you for everything youve done for Irish rugby Joe, best of luck with your future endeavours.

This is absolutely youge for the boy Quinlan.

I do think he's very right that people underestimate the fine margins. The 6 Nations and Rugby Championship and World Cup have shown you aren't actually as good as your last game, it can all turn around quickly. Going into the 6 Nations we had Ireland as runaway favourites, first weekend they get schooled by England and Wales are dreadful and lucky to beat France. So England are now runaway favourites, Wales then front up and beat them after a second lacklustre display against Italy. Scotland are rather written off but produce a really good second half against Wales and a sensational one against England. The swings are quite crazy, just like SA losing to NZ, England beating NZ comfortably, SA scraping past Wales, there can be only one result, the other one happened and England weren't at the races. There are lessons to be learnt as the cliche goes but overall Schmidt did a great job and no Ireland team in history has done better than that 2018 one. There isn't a structural issue to fix just some fine tuning. A bigger lesson though maybe for a few fans and especially some of the press and OTB coverage to keep a little grounded, there are two pivotal moments in the 2018 GS, the late DG in the France game and the intercept try against Wales when they had a 4 man overlap if that had missed. Fine margins in seconds between glory and mid table.

Don't care what the begrudgers say, I will always love and respect Joe! Thanks for everything coach!

Nothing but love and respect for Joe, thank you for the gréât days and bringing Irish rugby to a different dimension. I reckon he will be coaching in France this time next year! Maybe he could join the lions too :)

Been waiting for this interview for years, fantastic.

In the cold light of day he has delivered in many aspects of Irish rugby and he owes us nothing in that respect but I'm sure it will still niggle that we could not go beyond what we have been capable of in a World Cup year!

2019 was a disaster of a year for Ireland poor 6 nations and a poor world cup but Joe Schmidt has being a unbelievable success for Irish rugby best coach Ireland have ever had by a country mile 3 6 nations titles grandslam beating South Africa for the first time in South beating securing 1st 2 wins against the all blacks in 2016 1st home win against the All Blacks in November last year (2018) winning the series in Australia in 2018 also becoming a Irish citizen in 2015 he's an honorary Irishman

Hate all these questions looking back at different scenarios. Joe did amazing job with Ireland he should be well respected by all Irish rugby fans

What a nice guy. That's always the first thing that always strikes me about Joe. Great interview guys and Thanks Joe.

Schmidt’s true legacy is the word “learnings”, which he managed to get in in the first sentence here

Should've had Andy Dunne on with Joe to have a real tactical discussion of the past year.

Can't wait for Off The Ball to subsequently cut this video into 50 sub-videos and post them for the next 2 months

Fantastic to hear from one of the best coaches in the world! Hope we see him back coaching, maybe in super rugby afterthis season. We will miss you Joe!!!

Hmmm pundits who are critical and also know nothing about playing rugby???? Ehem Ger Gilroy ehem.....

Great interview.

What a gentleman. I for one will miss him a lot. I wish nothing but the best for him and his family in the future. Thanks for everything Mr Schmidt.

Great interview, well done and thanks for all the success he gave to Irish rugby! I personally just think too many of the players were slightly past their prime.

Joe is such a class act. Could listen to him all day. Such a successful career and still so humble. What he's done for the game in Ireland will still be felt 10 years from now. Success breeds success and under Joe we shed the "also rans of tier 1 rugby" tag and became genuine contenders in every game. He's right too about the provinces. Their success has been incredible.

Excellent interview

39 mins in. Is he criticising the likes of Ger there? Absolutely!!

He is a class act. Even though the end wasn't what we expected we had some remarkable moments under Joe that gave us something to cheer about. The begrudgers forget all the nights of celebration we had under Joe. He put confidence into Irish rugby we never knew we could get to. Hats off to you Joe. You owe us nothing.

Best coach in the world and whatever the disappointment for Ireland they have had just a superb 5 or 6 years. Ireland were always up against it in the QFs even if they were playing very well, as Kiwis and England will tell you there are no guarantees whatsoever in world cups. You need your fair share of fortune and to be playing exceptionally well, the ambition to do well should always be there but it's far more important that Ireland win Grand Slams and beat the top nations regularly as they have done in recent years. All you can do for these knockout tournaments is prepare as best you can but you can be out just like that.

I really hope we can get him back involved.. Refreshed and updated..

The sooner someone tells quinny that when he asks a question to just stop, and let them answer, not to fill the space explaining the question or keep asking it in different ways, the better. Why no one in Newstalk is sound enough to tell him I don't know.

Joe . Respect. But ultimately we never progressed in the world cup. The absolute without doubt the greatest coach we've ever had but still never passed the 1/4 finals

How did i miss this lol well i will watch now

I have nothing but respect for Joe, of course we are all disappointed we didn't go further in the WC, but he and the team have given us some huge moments over the years. Thank you Joe.

The passage of time is all that has to happen for us to look back and see that this was one of the Golden eras of Irish rugby but don’t forget that he had some very special players at his disposal too. I have no doubt that he is special as only the best create the environment for the best to thrive and fulfill their potential. I do think we are going to go back into the pack a little as we don’t seem to have the pivotal backs coming on stream but we do have some great forwards coming. Who will take over from Murray and sexton no obvious replacements. Joey Carbery is too injury prone to be special as somehow the true greats never seem to be injured. I really think is Ireland the club game has been ignored for too long and this is the area where we can go into the next level and this brings villages towns and cities on a journey of excitement to match GAA.

Well that was an interesting interview. Fair play Ger getting the Blazer on haha

Quinny needs to stop interrupting Joe

Ger Gilroy is so two faced and has zero journalistic integrity. Saying player's 'have to develop a thick skin' when their families tell them about the dishonest criticisms coming from people like Ger himself. Where does that line of rationale stop? Do the families have to develop thick skins too? Their friends? How about actually telling the truth when you talk about sport instead of creating false narratives about it to generate clicks.

Quintessential Kiwi values, humility, humbleness, while being driven to challenge yourself and those around you.

Alan Quinlan is the last man on earth I would like to be there

Joe seems to be in complete denial about his game plan being found out. It's true 'how fine the margins are'. Ireland were lucky to beat a poor France, Wales and Australia (twice) last year. These very fine margins that decided the terrific year. When everyone else improved, Ireland was left behind. It's easy to see why he failed this year. His arrogance got the better of him

Great to hear things straight from the horse's mouth. Irish rugby has moved up a level, thanks to Joe. One thing about the World Cup is that Ireland were noticeably absent from around Tokyo between games. Staying off out in the sticks in Chiba didn't help, but closed sessions and seeming disconnected may not have helped things. It seemed the players weren't relaxed + weren't enjoying themselves. Then again, who knows!

I don't feel Joe is receiving the respect he deserves; neither during this interview nor from the Irish rugby community at large. Consistency separates the elite from the super elite in athletic terms. Ireland have no God-given right to win. Why not criticise previous managers who led equally talented groups? He made us better; as such our expectation has morphed in to entitlement.

Director of Rugby. Thats the role that would suit you Joe

Irish rugby and Schmidt would make going from A to B complicated through all the absolute horseshite jargen they come out with before during and after games. And the media are in the same circle. They think they are these super intelligent race that are above everyone else. Phrases like 'Joe power plays' etc would drive anyone mad. Rugby is the most unskillful game in the world. To play soccer you need to have a genuine talent. In rugby you can pick it up aged 19 having never seen an egg shaped ball in your life.

You should have asked him why did Rory Best turn every game in 2019 into a part in his fair well tour he seemed to be on. I can't remember a game he played where it wasn't his last something. If his form on the pitch was good I'd say nothing but he was behond bad in nearly every game and was one of a group that included Keith Earls, Rob Kearney and Peter O'mahony that shouldn't have been near a pitch in Japan.

The margins are tiny. I wonder would it have been any different if Stockdale had held on to that ball?

Could be ABs coach...

legend

Ger and Quinny are really poker-faced as if they are super-nervous but Joe is really trying to enjoy himself ... very self-deprecating ...

Alan Quinlan talks too much.. This interview is meant to be about Joe Schmidt and Joe the presenter had to constantly cut Quinlan off from chatting too much very annoying... Keep Joe chatting we rarely get to see him!!

It’s too soon after the World Cup to release a book, especially considering he wouldn’t answer any hard questions after New Zealand game and now he comes on to sell books

From a South African - this coach has my respect.

Two record and disastrous defeats in the 2015 and 2019 World Cups. Harsh reality. Schmidt would want to be judged by the very highest standards and by the very highest standards, he was a bust.

You were too stubborn to change your ways Joe

Alex Ferguson Fail..... no wait. Fergie never failed.

This lad is a joker. Was found out at the World Cup what a poor coach he is