Joe Schmidt is being courted by the reigning Super Rugby champions, the Highlanders, to take over as head coach at the Otago based franchise when his contract with Ireland ends in 2017.

The New Zealand Herald newspaper reported that Highlanders CEO Roger Clark has confirmed he is pursuing the services of Schmidt. The Highlanders agreed a deal with coach Tony Brown to extend for a year until 2017, the same time that Schmidt's contract with the IRFU expires.

Clark suggested that if Schmidt were to agree to move back to New Zealand and take over the Highlands it could be a precursor to him being offered the All Blacks position at some point. As things stand the indications are the current coach, Steve Hansen, will stay until after the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

The IRFU's Performance Director David Nucifora has been having on-going dialogue with Schmidt - the Irish coach indicated that he would let the IRFU know his plans some time in July if feasible - about a contract extension. Nucifora admitted recently. "Will he (Schmidt) tell me in July if he's staying? He might; he doesn't have to.

“Obviously, we’re speaking on an on-going basis, if he choses to extend he can do that any time between now and towards the Six Nations of next year.

“Do we want Joe to stay? Absolutely, we’d like him to stay and commit right through until 2019. He’s got an unusual set of circumstances that we’ve spoken about before and we’re just happy and confident to work with him on those and he’ll do the right thing and let us know as soon as he’s got a clear indication in his own head.”

Ireland won successive Six Nations Championships under Schmidt in 2014 and 2015 and on Saturday, he masterminded the national side’s first ever victory over the Springboks in South Africa.