Come what may following the end of July 2026, Joe Schmidt's commitment to extend not once but twice at the Wallabies says much about the integrity of the 59-year-old.
With the upward trajectory of the men's national team under his stewardship, the initial news back in February that he would depart after the 2025 Rugby Championship was met with a reaction of both disappointment, but understanding from the Australian rugby public.
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It is what makes his decision to extend his tenure another nine months before handing over the keys to newly minted successor Les Kiss all the more surprising.
So, what led to the change of heart?
"It's funny, it seemed like a long time by the time I'd already agreed to do TRC, it didn't seem that much further into the future," Schmidt conceded at the Wallabies coaching announcement at Allianz Stadium.
"I suppose as you stack them up, it didn't seem like an extra year."
However, it was that focus on family that has proven to be the catalyst for his extension, with the Wallabies coach revealing his wife and son will be spending more time in Sydney for the remainder of his tenure.
"I think the friendship that goes back a long way made this a lot easier," said Schmidt.
"The family situation, the support from RA around getting the family over a little bit more often to Sydney, where I'm usually based, made it a little bit easier.
"I feel that I'm getting some balance in supporting my wife and her commitment to looking after our son - and our son is getting a bit of growth at the same time.
"I'm really happy with the outcome. I think it's a great outcome for me personally and my family. It's one that's not too much of a stretch to stay in the role."
But while the governing body has helped lighten the family commitments, it leads to another question - given he only envisioned a short term role, what has led to a longer extension?
The answer, put simply, is that Schmidt has found at the Wallabies an opportunity to challenge himself as a coach, with a group hungry and open to his ideas. Departing after the 2025 Rugby Championship would leave 'unfinished business'.
With a long-time collaborator in Les Kiss now guaranteed to take up his mantle, building a long-term program off the back of 2024's successes proved too irresistible.
"Last year was a bit transformational, we had 19 debutants," explained Schmidt.
"There was a lot of change that happened from the year before. I think people were universal in believing that was necessary. There's a foundation - but I'm acutely aware that there's still a massive calendar coming up.
"There's a lot of hard work to do. I know the players are aware of that as well.
"Three Lions tests - and then you're on a plane to play on the Highveld against South Africa. That is a bit intimidating - but what a great challenge!"
While the Wallabies fell agonisingly short in Dublin of finishing the 2024 season with a successful win/loss ratio, Schmidt believes that the work of building winning habits, beliefs, and abilities is rubbing off on the Super Rugby sides, with an aligned sense of creating a foundation for future Australian success.
"We're not chasing targets, we're building behaviours," explained Schmidt.
"It's people first. Build what you need from the bottom up, rather than chasing the top end of things.
"Success for me is getting the performance behaviours right. Getting the culture right. That's as successful as you can be as a coach.
"That belief gets built in those four Super clubs. That's a great base for us to then springboard into a more confident Wallabies environment."
That success and drive has rubbed off on the Super Rugby Pacific sides, with all four teams still firmly in the finals picture - with the Reds and Brumbies pushing at the top of the ladder.
However, with Kiss' appointment - a man who Schmidt described as "the same ilk, very process oriented", the incumbent Wallabies coach not only has an opportunity to leave the Wallabies in a much better place - a challenge many great coaches before him have tried to do, but to lay the groundwork for future long term success in Australia.
"[It's] my honest belief that I think we [Les] can dovetail well," affirmed Schmidt.
"We share a lot of the same philosophy, albeit with a slightly different approach in some areas. I think that like-minded philosophy will allow a pretty smooth transition."
After a challenging Lions tour and Rugby Championship, Schmidt is set to face an even more challenging tour - taking the Wallabies for another five match Autumn Nations Series - culminating in the World Nations Cup in July 2026.
But would he be tempted to extend a third time and go through to the World Cup? On that, Schmidt was definitive that the final Test in July next year will be his last.
"It's been a privilege to be involved," said Schmidt.
"I know how many people would love to do a job like this. It's something that for a small town kid born in Tararua, New Zealand, it's been a fantastic opportunity for me.
"Those opportunities to see the world for my family has been great as well. It's not something that I'd ever rule out completely. But, it's definitely not my plans.
"The boat on the lake and trying to get my golf handicap down. Don't ask me what it is at the present time.
"That would be a couple of really ambitious goals that I'd have beyond the end of July next year."
