Ready for the challenge.

Leinster scrum coach John Fogarty has admitted he would be interested in joining the Ireland coaching ticket after the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and feels he’s ready to make the big step up to international rugby.

Current Ireland scrum coach Greg Feek, who Fogarty replaced at Leinster, is set to move on after the Rugby World Cup after accepting a head coach role with Japanese Top League side the Ricoh Black Rams.

Fogarty says his ambition naturally is to go as high as he can possibly go in coaching.

“As a coach, I want to be able to coach as high as I can go. That is the ambition,” Fogarty said at Leinster’s UCD base yesterday.

“Again, arriving at that point at the right time is the most important thing as well. From the IRFU’s point of view, or my point of view, it is making sure I’m able to deliver.”

And Fogarty believes he can definitely add some value to the current Irish set-up, but says he is still learning as a young coach.

“I do feel I can add value. I am adding value here, I hope. I do feel I could.” Fogarty added.

“That’s as far as I can talk about it. I’ve not been talking to anybody about it.”

“I’m still learning. I see myself as a young coach that’s still very much learning.

“Every year throws up new challenges. The group, having four loose-heads and four tight-heads, having that change of players continually challenges us as a group and me as a person.

“In my head, I’m still learning so much about the game and the different challenges it can throw up.”