Ireland interim boss Simon Easterby says he has had no contact from the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) about replacing Warren Gatland as head coach.
Wales parted ways with Gatland last week, and while Matt Sherratt has taken interim charge, Easterby is thought to be one of the WRU’s top targets.
However, Easterby – who lives in Wales and formerly captained and coached Scarlets – dismissed “speculation” around his future.
“I didn’t really know that I had been linked, but of course there’s been speculation and that’s all it is: speculation,” Easterby said after naming his team to face Wales in Saturday’s Six Nations gam in Cardiff.
“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 that’s a dream job.
“Speculation is exactly that, it’s speculation and it’s not something I can control.”
Former Ireland international Easterby began his coaching career with Scarlets before joining the Irish backroom team in 2014.
The Yorkshire-born 49-year-old has stepped up to lead the team this year while head coach Andy Farrell is seconded with the British and Irish Lions.
“Right now, this is my only focus and whatever 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,” added Easterby.
“Whatever’s gone on, I’ve had no contact from the WRU, so for me it’s all guns blazing towards Cardiff on Saturday and making sure me and the other coaches prepare the team in the right way. Whatever speculation goes on outside of that is outside of my control.”
