Rugby Australia has confirmed the worst-kept secret that Queensland Reds boss Les Kiss will replace Joe Schmidt as head coach for the Wallabies, but there is a twist.
According to Planet Rugby, Schmidt was set to step down from the role following the conclusion of this year’s Rugby Championship, but he will remain in the role until mid-2026.
This will allow Kiss to conclude his contract with the Reds before taking over from Schmidt through to the end of 2028.
Schmidt says his intention to finish at the end of this year’s Rugby Championship has been adjusted to fit with Kiss’s availability.
He thinks Kiss is doing a great job with the Reds, so it was important to dovetail with his responsibilities there.
He says his extension until the end of July means he will spend more time with his family in Sydney.
Kiss has a decorated coaching career spanning over 20 years and including senior roles in Australia, Ireland, England and South Africa.
He served as an assistant coach with the Springboks, and was part of an incredibly successful period with Ireland under Schmidt, which included a Grand Slam in 2009, Six Nations titles in 2009, 2014 and 2015 and two Rugby World Cup quarter-finals in 2011 and 2015.
In 2015, he joined Ulster as the club’s director of rugby, a role he held until 2018 when he joined London Irish.
Kiss says leading the Wallabies at a home Rugby World Cup in 2027 was “the honour of a lifetime.
He says it’s an incredibly exciting time for Australian Rugby, and he is humbled by the opportunity to serve as Wallabies head coach from next year.
He adds that Schmidt and he have a strong relationship and a long history of working together, and he is looking forward to building upon the excellent foundations he has laid with the Wallabies.
[Source: Planet Rugby]
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