Wednesday 28 January 2015 17:40, UK
Scotland coach Vern Cotter is looking forward to locking horns with his Ireland counterpart Joe Schmidt during the forthcoming Six Nations Championship.
The Kiwi pair have known each other for years and will come face-to-face during the final round of fixtures on March 21.
Cotter and Schmidt worked together at French Top 14 club Clermont between 2007 and 2010 and have remained friends in recent years.
The 53-year-old Cotter became Scotland’s head coach last May which took the number of New Zealand bosses in the Six Nations event to three with Warren Gatland holding the reins in Wales.
Cotter said of Schmidt: "We have a very solid friendship based on good and bad times we've had together.
"We like to have a beer and talk about what our families are doing, but then I know he's preparing his team to give us a tough time and obviously he knows I'm doing the same thing.
"So it's done with utmost respect but within that there's a very competitive nature. It's nice to catch up with him and then I know Gatland as well so it's good to see him too, and it's something unique we have in rugby.
"I'm not surprised at all to see Joe do so well with Ireland: He's a smart man and he's done very well. He's brought that team together and got some great results so all credit to him."
And what does Schmidt think of Cotter: "He's a big, strong man and I think his nickname in France was 'les yeux de glace', the eyes of ice.
"He didn't even have to say anything and he'd strike a bit of fear and that was just with the coaching staff, let alone the players.
"It's great to see him, we've had a bit of banter but I know we're both always thinking and striving for an edge. He's got the drive to do it and the presence to lead people, and those are some key elements and the strengths he brings to his coaching."
