Back on the horse.

Former Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt plans on getting back into coaching next year and has already had to turn down more than one offer.

Schmidt left Ireland after the Rugby World Cup in Japan earlier this month after six years in charge. His final tournament didn’t exactly go according to plan with Ireland once again failing to get back the quarter-finals stage, but his overall tenure will be fondly remembered.

He first came to Ireland with Leinster in 2010, winning two European Cups and a PRO12 title before going on to win three Six Nations championships with Ireland, including a Grand Slam. He also coached Ireland to a first-ever [and second] win over the All Blacks.

Schmidt says unlike a “soccer coach” he can’t just retire permanently and plans on getting back on the horse when his son Luke finishes transition year in eight months time.

“The next eight months we’re just going to get Luke through to the end of the school year,” Schmidt said on the Late Late Show.

“He’s doing his transition year and it’s a transition period for me as well. We’ll see how that works out for him and then we’ll make a decision from there as to what we do and where we go.

“I’m not, unfortunately in some ways, a soccer coach so it’s not like I can retire permanently. I’m going to have to go back to work at some stage.

“In eight months time we’ll have used up a few resources and I’ll have to get back out and have a look…I mean there’s been some neat opportunities come up just in the last five weeks.

“There were two job offers on my phone when I got back to the hotel – it’s those sort of things that give you a bit of confidence that there’s something else you can go on and do.