For months Les Kiss has been listed as a favorite to replace Joe Schmidt if the New Zealander leaves the Wallabies in August, but on Thursday the Queensland Reds coach declared he has “too much respect” for his former teammate to entertain. role.
Just hours after new Waratahs coach Dan McKellar dismissed the possibility of taking over Schmidt, Kiss has also done his best to distance himself from the role.
“I have so much respect for Joe to go down that path,” Kiss told reporters at Ballymore alongside Reds captain Liam Wright and Tate McDermott.
“One thing I can tell you is that me, Jane (Hilton), Jonathan Fisher… The professional staff leading the performance program are contracted here, so we will do our best to provide this team with what they need. To move forward and get better every day. That’s important.
“We have to focus on the Reds and move forward. That’s what we expect. The next day is too important. There will be a session soon in the heat. Next week is too important, the Moana (Pasifika) tour (to the UK) in 35 days is too important; That’s what we’re focused on and what we’re pursuing.”
Queensland coach Les Kiss has revealed his intention to lead the Reds in Super Rugby. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
The circus around who will coach the Wallabies until the 2027 home Rugby World Cup on Australian shores continued into the third week of January, with Schmidt signed until the end of the British and Irish Lions series in August.
The Roar understands Schmidt could extend his time until the Rugby Championship if the Wallabies have the almighty task ahead of them by facing the Springboks in South Africa just two weeks after the final Lions Test on August 3.
However, given his family’s well-documented health issues, it is unlikely that Schmidt will continue with the Wallabies beyond 2025, with the highly respected coach likely to continue in a consultant role and as a selector.
This is why Keys will remain linked to the role even if Schmidt steps down. Especially considering the second-year Queensland coach previously spent three years with Ireland and a soft-spoken New Zealand side.
When asked if he had ambitions to coach the Wallabies one day, Kiss again distanced himself.
“I love what I’m doing now,” he said.
“The rest of the staff is in a place where they are really focused and driven.
“As I said, we are here to do everything we can to help these guys do their best. This is what we do to serve Rugby Australia.”
Kiss later told The Roar that he “had no communication whatsoever with RA regarding the situation.”
“There was nothing there.” Kiss continued.
“It’s important to me to be with my good friend Joe. I don’t want to get into that kind of talk. “It is his space to go where he wants.”
Former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt (right) and then assistant Les Keith (left). Photo credit: Seb Daly/SPORTSFILE, via Getty Images)
In 2024, the Reds will win their first Super Rugby title after an emotional year similar to the one Michael Cheika experienced in his first season in charge of the Waratahs in 2013 and enjoyed glory a year later. There is an expectation that you will challenge. More than 10 years.
It comes after the Reds lured the Wallabies to Ballymore with a string of quality additions including Matt Gibbon, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Josh Canham and Test back Filipo Daugunu, giving the team the fitness and edge it missed last year.
As Kiss said, this will allow the Reds to move between “gears” of the game and from game to game.
In total, Kiss have 22 players who have donned the gold jersey in 2024 for either the Wallabies or Australia A.
It’s a luxury afforded after the unfortunate demise of the Rebels helped boost the depth of the remaining four Super Rugby franchises.
“It’s hard, but that’s the job. You have to make a decision,” Kiss said of the choice.
“I know that sometimes I can disappoint some people, but I can also make others happy. But we are not made of one or two people, we are made of a group of people. It will take all of us. That’s for sure.
“In pre-season, before Christmas, these boys worked hard to deliver something. The more difficult the choice, the better.
“One of the real qualities we have as a team is the ability to shift gears a little more within a game or from game to game as needed.”
The Queensland Reds have made significant progress in 2024. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
While the Reds succeeded in turning Suncorp Stadium into a fortress of sorts last year, Kiss said they were focused on improving their form at home and away after mistakes against the Western Force in Perth and Moana Pasifika in Auckland.
“We might approach these things a little differently this year because we have some really difficult travel,” Kiss said.
“We have to use our squad wisely and get the wins we need in the process.”
Despite being one of the strongest Reds teams since Ewen McKenzie’s side in 2011, Kiss are not expecting anything to come easy this season. The Waratahs in particular resemble powerful barbarian teams with weapons at the front and outside of the park, including Joseph. Aukuso Suaalii, Andrew Callaway, Taniela Tupou.
“If you look at who the Waratahs have at their disposal now, they are going to be a big, strong unit and a difficult team to get in front of,” the former State of Origin winger said. .
“The Brumbies have set the pace over the last few years, the Force have improved and the Kiwis are always strong so it will be a very tough competition.”
Despite Harry Wilson emerging as Wallabies captain last year, Keith said he had no hesitation in asking Wright and McDermott to continue leading the team.
“I can’t get past Liam and Tate,” Keith said.
Liam Wright and Tate McDermott will once again lead the Reds to another Super Rugby season. Photo: 2025
“I have been in the Irish system and I know that national captains were not always provincial captains.
“A few years ago, John Eales was the national captain, but for the home team we had Dan Herbert and David Wilson.
“There were four Wallabies captains in Queensland teams in the late 1990s, we have three.
“I spoke to Harry and he was happy to follow these guys and that was important. We’ve got Frazier (McWright), we’ve got Pez (Matt Fessler), we’ve got Hunter (Paisamy) and Jock Campbell, they’re all good guys with leadership that will help us get out there this season.”
