Andy Farrell to succeed Joe Schmidt as Ireland coach after 2019 World Cup

Andy Farrell will succeed Joe Schmidt as Ireland head coach after next year's World Cup, the Irish Rugby Football Union has announced.

New Zealander Schmidt had been regarded as a future All Blacks coach, but he has announced that he will end his coaching career following next autumn's tournament in Japan.

"I have decided to finish coaching and will prioritise family commitments after the Rugby World Cup in 2019," Schmidt told the official Irish Rugby Football Union website

"I feel that Irish rugby is in good hands. The management and players have been incredible to work with and the tremendous support we have had, particularly at home in the Aviva, but wherever we have travelled has been uplifting."

Schmidt was appointed as head coach in 2013 and has overseen the most successful period in the national team's history

During his tenure Ireland have won three Six Nations titles (2014, 2015) including a Grand Slam (2018), a first win on South African soil (2016), a first win over New Zealand (2016) and a series win in Australia (2018).

Andrew Conway's hat-trick sealed Ireland's second-straight autumn series clean sweep on Saturday with a 57-14 win over the USA in Dublin.