Leinster's last two coaches are set to clash when Ireland host Australia next month and Joe Schmidt is looking forward to the “bizarre” match-up.
Michael Cheika, who led the province to their first European title in 2009, was confirmed as Wallabies boss on Wednesday, and will bring his side to Lansdowne Road on 22 November.
New Zealander Schmidt took over from Cheika and subsequently led Leinster to two more Heineken Cup victories.
Asked about the fixture, which comes after Dublin Tests against South Africa and Georgia, Schmidt told RTÉ Sport: “It’s a little bit bizarre. It’s an unusual situation but I don’t think it’s any different than when we face Scotland in the Six Nations when myself and Vern Cotter [go head to head].
“We’ve coached with each other a lot more than we’ve coached against each other, but we’ve done both.
“I have coached against Cheiks once before, in a 29-28 loss [Heineken Cup quarter-final Leinster v Clermont], so he’s one up on me and I’ve no doubt he’s pretty keen to get another one up when he brings Australia here.”
The former Clermont coach was also quizzed about an extension to his current contract, which runs to 2016.
He was asked if, in the wake of England coach Stuart Lancaster signing a deal until 2020, a new contract had been on his mind.
“Not really,” said the 49-year-old, “I’ve been counting the loss of players week to week and that injury toll has kept us very busy.
“I think that’s something that, by invitation, happens. If that happens, it happens and if it doesn’t we’re just working really hard to try to get November into some sort of shape so we can try to be as competitive as we can be.
“It took me by surprise when Stuart Lancaster was announced. It’s not something I thought of. I’m probably not a great long-term planner. The World Cup’s a challenge for me. I’m contracted beyond that so at the moment it’s still a fair way in the future.”
