Former Ulster director of rugby Les Kiss will be confirmed as Joe Schmidt’s successor at the Wallabies on Wednesday but may not take on the role until the middle of next year, local media reported.
Kiss, currently the Queensland Reds coach, worked closely with Schmidt at Ireland and will be the Wallabies’ fifth coach in six years, expected to steer the team through to the 2027 World Cup on home soil.
Governing body Rugby Australia (RA) declined to comment on the reports but confirmed there would be an announcement at a press conference in Sydney on Wednesday.
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Schmidt, who replaced Eddie Jones after the Wallabies’ horror 2023 World Cup in France, announced in February he would step down after the Rugby Championship to spend more time with his family and help look after his youngest son, who has severe epilepsy.
However, the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported the New Zealander will stay on as Wallabies coach until Kiss sees out his Reds contract at the end of the 2026 Super Rugby season.
Some fans would be glad if Schmidt were to remain longer in the role than he intended, having brought confidence back to the Wallabies by the end of last season following Jones’s tumultuous and short-lived second stint.
Queensland rugby would also prefer to retain Kiss and have more time to arrange a replacement.
Kiss has been linked with the Wallabies role for months but declined to comment on his ambitions, barring confirmation in February that he had discussed the job with RA.
The former rugby league international switched to coaching rugby union over 20 years ago and ran Ireland’s defence under Declan Kidney when the Irish won the 2009 Six Nations and a first Grand Slam since 1948.
He remained defence coach when Schmidt succeeded Kidney in 2013 and helped the New Zealander win the Six Nations the following year.
After further coaching roles at Ulster and London Irish, Kiss returned to Australia to take over the Reds in 2024.
The Reds were knocked out of the quarter-finals last year but are fourth this season and in the hunt for a first title since 2011.
Reds loose forward Sere Uru said the players were in the dark about Kiss’s appointment at the Wallabies and that they were just focusing on Saturday’s away game against Fijian Drua.
However, he did offer some insight into Kiss’s coaching.
“One of his major things is skills, just to back yourself, use your skills and it will open up,” Uru said. “Our skills have improved and our connection as a team has become tighter.”
