Simon Easterby says his full focus is preparing Ireland to beat Wales on Saturday but didn't definitively rule himself out of contention for the vacant head coach role down the line.
The Ireland interim head coach lives in Wales and spent most of his playing career in the country, including spells as player and coach with Scarlets.
The 49-year-old has been an assistant with Ireland since 2014 and is in temporary charge of the team with Andy Farrell on British and Irish Lions duty.
Easterby’s links to Wales and coaching standing have inevitably led to speculation that he could take over from Warren Gatland, who left following the team’s 14th consecutive defeat, to Italy, two weeks ago.
Speaking after announcing his team to face Wales in round three of the Guinness Six Nations on Saturday, Easterby poured cold water on the prospect without ruling out the possibility.
Simon Easterby pours cold water on Wales link as he prepares unbeaten Ireland for Six Nations clash in Cardiff on Saturday #RTERugby #RTESport pic.twitter.com/Yl88IZAkiQ
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) February 20, 2025
"There’s been speculation and that’s what it is, speculation," he told RTÉ Sport. "I’m not in control of that. I love what I do here.
"I’ve been in this position with the team for a long time and I’m very fortunate with the people I get to work with, both management and players, and for me it’s a dream job.
"Speculation is exactly that, it’s speculation, and not something that I can control."
Asked if he would rule himself out, he added: "Right now this is my only focus and what happens in the future, in a year’s time you could lose your job and we know in sport it’s fairly fluid around people moving from thing to thing.
"But, like I said, whatever is going on I’ve had no contact with the WRU [Welsh Rugby Union].
"For me, it’s all guns blazing towards Cardiff on Saturday and make sure that me and the other coaches prepare the team, and whatever speculation goes on outside of that is outside my control."
Easterby has made seven changes, with captain Caelan Doris and Rónan Kelleher injured, for the trip to Wales, and named hooker Dan Sheehan (above) captain for the first time despite having ex-skipper Peter O’Mahony at his disposal.
"As you know, Dan has a lot of influence in the way he plays and he’s been part of the leadership group for a good while in the team," he said of the 26-year-old Leinster forward, who will win his 30th cap.
"We probably just feel like he is in a really good place himself coming back from injury and the way he influenced the game in the first couple of rounds coming off the bench.
"Obviously with Caelan not available this weekend, we just felt like it was a good time for Dan to grow that leadership within the group, to grow another player to experience something a little bit different around the week and how he handles that.
"He’s captained Leinster at various teams as well, so it’s not something he hasn’t done before."
Prop Thomas Clarkson (below) gets his first start on his fifth cap, with Finlay Bealham dropping to the bench.
Regular tighthead Tadhg Furlong is still recovering from injury, with Easterby stating that the 32-year-old Lions player has calf and hamstring problems.
"A bit of both and he’s trucking really well," said the former Ireland flanker.
"He’s been in camp with us this week to continue his rehab but he won’t be too far away.
"He’s feeling pretty good at the moment. But, like any of those things, we’ve got to make sure that we get him right and we’ve been really pleased with the guys who’ve stepped up and stepped into his position.
"Hence, why Tom gets his start this week and Finlay has a different role to do off the bench with his experience alongside Gus and Jack Boyle."
On the decision to pick Jamie Osborne for his first Six Nations start over Hugo Keenan, who drops out of the 23, Easterby said: "Jamie did a brilliant job in the summer in South Africa.
"What we don’t want is to be forced into a decision on a player because we don’t know a lot about them.
"This is a great opportunity for Jamie, he’s building his experiences up across the last couple of years with the team."
Wales, warned Easterby, won't be underestimated despite their poor run of form.
"I think Wales are always dangerous," said Easterby, who has overseen wins over England and Scotland.
"You can read into whatever around the results and performances but at home in the Principality they're a different beast.
"We have to respect that. They’re playing in front of their home crowd, there’s huge passion for the game in Wales.
"Whatever has gone on in the last few weeks I think for them it’s been disappointing but they’ll feel like this is a fresh start and they’ll be able to go and impress Matt (Sherratt) and instill some of the things that he’ll want the team to stand for and I think that gives them an opportunity."
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