Former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has been called in to assist New Zealand for their first test against Ireland, with head coach Ian Foster absent due to Covid-19.

The announcement of Foster's positive test was made late on Sunday night in the British Isles, whilst being revealed in mid morning in New Zealand.

And by the end of the day in Australasia, Schmidt had been revealed as the stand-in for Foster for a game against the side he coached between 2013 and 2019.

Schmidt is due to become New Zealand National Selector after the Ireland test series, replacing Grant Fox who has been doi...