Joe Schmidt and Ireland commit their future together but it’s not as long as everyone first thought

Joe Schmidt will be taking Ireland to the Rugby World Cup in September. But not for another two World Cup campaigns as everyone first thought.

The Irish rugby head coach has committed his future to the job for another two years. A contract keeping him at Landsdowne Road until 2017. It was initially thought that Schmidt had signed an eight-year extension with Ireland but the IRFU moved to announce his official signing this afternoon. "We believe that Joe is one of the leading coaches in world rugby so we are delighted that he has extended his contract and will continue to work in Irish Rugby until the end of the 2016/17 season," Performance Director, David Nucifora, said. "Outside of his national team duties, Joe has contributed to the development of indigenous coaches across the provincial and underage structures as well as having a positive input into the Ireland U20s and Women's squads. "