Why Les Kiss’ juggling act will be a critical part of Australian rugby’s success in 2026

2 weeks ago 8

Les Kiss begins by apologising for conducting the phone interview on speaker mode. He is, at the same time, hurriedly getting changed into his team suit for a fast-approaching function, the Queensland Reds season launch.

Not for the first time this year – and certainly not the last – Kiss is juggling commitments like a madman, and there are multiple balls in the air.

Current Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt (L) and incoming Wallabies head coach Les Kiss.

But Kiss is also calm, considered and, it would seem, perfectly in control. And if you’re an Australian rugby fan, that is good news, because Kiss’ juggling will be one of the most important skillsets when it comes to Wallabies’ success in 2026 – and probably at the 2027 Rugby World Cup, too.

In a little over five months, Kiss will take over as coach, succeeding the departing Joe Schmidt at the end of a three-Test window on July 22. Kiss will lead Australia for the first time against Eddie Jones’ Japan on August 15 in Townsville.

But before any of that, he will also be busily occupied with his current day job: coaching the Queensland Reds in a full season of the Super Rugby Pacific competition, which begins on Friday. In Kiss’ third year in charge, the Reds shape as a genuine contender in 2026.

Schmidt is still the man in charge at Wallabies level but, a little like a relay runner at the Olympics, Kiss will have to take the national baton from Schmidt at full pace before he coaches the Wallabies in a Test match a few weeks later, so the following 164 days loom as busy.

But the next six months could also get complicated. In attempting to divide your mind between two teams at the same time, you run the risk of not serving either one well, so Kiss’ ability to plan and multi-task will be put to the test.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a squeeze,” Kiss says. “Every coaching experience you learn from, and there is something unique about this situation. No one else has had to probably handle it this way anyway.

“So does anyone have a road map how it looks, completely? No, but I’ve got good people around me. I’ll back myself in terms of my management skills, leadership skills and coaching skills. There is a sense of, I think, calm about it and a real appetite to make sure we get it right.”

Kiss’ situation is not necessarily uncharted territory. Robbie Deans coached the Crusaders to a Super Rugby title in 2008 before taking over as Wallabies coach a week later, and Michael Cheika was simultaneously the Waratahs and Wallabies coach in 2015. But there are also differences in the Kiss juggle, and deliberately so.

When Kiss was chosen as the man RA wanted to succeed Schmidt, Queensland were keen for the coach to see out his third year with the Reds – and so was Kiss. He was less keen on the idea of taking on the Wallabies job at the same time, given it is best done with an impartial mindset and hands-on oversight at all the Super Rugby programs.

Les Kiss, former North Sydney Bear turned union coach

And so an extension for Schmidt through to July was negotiated, and with it a delicate balance of planning in Wallaby-world that will frequently involve Kiss but also mostly just leave him to get on with his day job at Ballymore.

“They’re not written down but there’s agreed principles of operation in play,” Kiss explains. “I think there’s been respect from all levels to understand that there is a frontline task with the Reds. It is front and centre of everything.

“But there are good people in RA who know how to do their job, and I’ve had contact with the right people at the right times to talk about planning, talk about scenarios, to talk about a whole raft of things that are on the plate that lead into this next six months.

“They’ll keep that organised and if there’s any decisions I have to need to make, we find the right window for those, that is not going to interfere with the process here [at Queensland].

“I guess you’d say there are a few tabs always open in the corner of one compartment of the mind.”

In truth, the viability of such an unusual Wallaby handover is mostly made possible by a long-standing relationship between Schmidt and Kiss, who worked together for years in the Ireland system. The hope is that they share enough coaching philosophies – and character traits – that the final transfer of power won’t be bumpy for players.

WORLD CUP DRAW

Kiss said he was content with the way the Wallabies fixture list for the 2027 Rugby World Cup had panned out, with an opening match against Hong Kong China followed by pool matches against New Zealand and Chile.

“I didn’t mind it in the end. There were obviously views about whether it should be the All Blacks first, to rip into the Rugby World Cup,” he said. “But there’s a lot of vested interests, a lot of stakeholders involved and a lot of reasons why they looked at the complete picture.

“If I was sitting and studying it hard, it’s not a bad lead-in. I think it can move us in the right direction.

“We play South Africa away (in the Rugby Championship in 2027) and that’s a tough ask in its own right before we move into that. So we will have some hardened games that’ll get us into that place. I don’t mind the sequence of it and I’m pretty sure the All Blacks would feel the same.

“It gives both teams a chance to mix and match in a way that they can get an understanding of what their best team is leading into those last games.”

CATCHING CRICHTON

Angus Crichton in action for the Kangaroos. He could soon be wearing a Wallabies jersey.

Kiss confirmed he had been involved in the recruitment of Angus Crichton and said it was a strong signing for Australian rugby giving the elite quality of the Roosters star, and his background in the 15-man game.

Kiss said he wanted to limit his commentary on Crichton to respect his wishes to now get on with his final season in the NRL, but he confirmed he’d look to take Crichton on the Wallabies’ Spring Tour at the end of the year, and that the 26-year-old would play in the centres.

“Yeah, as soon as is available, definitely. And he’d be midfield, that’s for sure,” he said. “It’s definitely in the midfield we would be concentrating on. And there’s work to be done in that area for him, but I know that that’s where New South Wales will definitely be playing him.”

SUPER TOUGH START

The Reds open their season against the Waratahs on Friday night at Allianz Stadium, and captained by Fraser McReight, the Queenslanders are well-set to go much deeper than their quarter-final exit in 2025.

But the Tahs downed the Reds and the Brumbies in recent trials, and were strong at home last year.

“They’re looking good,” Kiss said. “They were impressive and they’re deep as well. They’re going to be a team to really reckon with.

“So if we can go there and get a start that’s representative of the work we put in and we can hold our line and get that job done, then that’s a great start. It is always difficult down there.