Joe Schmidt beside the All Blacks bed before Ireland

The New Zealand Rugby Union announced on Monday that Ian Foster, the coach of the All Blacks affected by the Covid-19 virus, has recalled former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt. Schmidt, who coached Clover XV between 2013 and 2019, bolstered the New Zealand staff after three members of the coaching staff, coach Ian Foster and his assistants Scott MacLeod and John Plumtree, tested positive. Two players, centre-back or defender David Haveley and midfielder Jack Godhuo, also tested positive.

Read alsoRugby: Covid hits All Blacks ahead of test match against Ireland

Anti-Covid rules require people who test positive to isolate for seven days from the day symptoms are detected. Who should walk off the field on Saturday in the first test against the Irish. “Joe will be attending training on Tuesdays and Thursdays this week and we are grateful for his assistance.Foster said in a statement from New Zealand Rugby.We planned for these kinds of disruptions and had backup plans and people on standby: Joe was one of those people we could count onHead of All Blacks added.

Schmidt, 56, a former Claremont coach, led Ireland for six years, winning the Six Nations Championship three times (2014, 2015, 2018), a Grand Slam in the key to his third and final title.