Ireland didn't seem to want to let him leave - and the Wallabies made it clear that they really want him to stay.
The Joe Schmidt show may have departed Dublin with an anti-climactic ending, but everyone's favourite coach was still the hot topic even as his old Ireland charges beat his new Australian ones 22-19 on Saturday.
After being edged at Lansdowne Road, Schmidt still sounded cautiously optimistic about Australia's chances of being ready to offer the British & Irish Lions a real challenge next year.