Garry Ringrose says Simon Easterby stays ‘lifeless centered’ on his position as Eire’s interim head coach amid stories he could possibly be the following Wales boss.
The 49-year-old has guided the facet to 2 bonus-point wins to start out their Six Nations marketing campaign with traditional head coach Andy Farrell on secondment with the British and Irish Lions.
He has, nonetheless, been linked to the Wales job following affirmation of Warren Gatland’s departure on Wednesday.
The previous again row was a participant and head coach with Scarlets and nonetheless lives in Wales, who Eire play in Cardiff on 22 February.
“I solely heard it off one of many lads however, positive, it isn’t a factor in any respect,” stated Ringrose of the reported curiosity.
“Simon is lifeless centered on attempting to arrange as finest we are able to and that is aligned with what the gamers are driving to.”
Eire’s head of athletic efficiency Aled Walters, who labored at Scarlets when Easterby was a participant, feels such “hypothesis” was inevitable.
“He is that good a coach that there is at all times going to be hypothesis in skilled sport, that is human nature,” stated Walters.
“There’s been a change with Wales, and the truth that he lives there, he was at all times going to be linked.
“That is the standard of the person. Credit score to him and credit score to the group, nothing has been stated about it.
“We simply keep it up making ready for Wales as we’d usually.”
Walters, who joined the Irish employees final yr, has been impressed by how Easterby has taken to the top coach’s position having been an assistant on the ticket for greater than a decade.
“He is actually introduced his personal flavour to issues. It has been nice to see,” he added.
“Even within the autumn, he is a frontrunner. It isn’t like he is been sat again within the shadows and swiftly thrust into the limelight.
“It hasn’t felt that completely different. He is been there the entire time.”
