The kiss to restore its letters of nobility to a team from Australia in perdition? The Australian Rugby Federation (Rugby Australia) will unveil the name of its new coach on Wednesday, and the Australian technician aged 60 years seems the big favorite for the position.
According to the main media of the country, the Bundaberg native who now officiates as chief coach of Queensland Reds, in super rugby, would be strongly expected to take over from Joe Schmidt to the commands of the Wallabies, the New Zealander, landed at the bedside of Australia last year after being the emblematic coach of Ireland, having announced that times the rugby championship finished.
For a long time, a final duel seemed to get Kiss and Dan McKellar, the coach of the NSW Waratahs. But that was before the old pillar decided to withdraw from the race. For many, McKellar has thus left the field free to the one whose contract with Queensland Reds will come to an end to the end of 2026 only.
With the 2027 World Cup at home in sight…
However, the Australian Federation would have already thought of everything and put the message across to the probable future coach that he could keep his post in club if he wishes and thus style the coach’s cap of the Reds, which he already has, and that of Wallabies coach once Schmidt (who had himself taken the relay of Eddie Jones following the first elimination of Australia in the Phasses of the World Cup.
If he becomes, as expected, the fifth man to direct the Wallabies over the last six years (after Michael Cheika, Dave Rennie and therefore Jones then Schmidt), Kiss, who presents the asset of having already worked in Europe (as director of Ulster rugby then as the main coach of the London Irish and finally that Adjoated within the Staff of Ireland), will have the major objective Wallabies to approach their World Cup, in 2027, in the best conditions but above all to shine, Australia, world champion in 1999, having not exceeded the course of the quarterfinals since 2015. That year, she had bowed in the final against New Zealand (34-17).
