Kiss clarifies Wallabies aspirations
SPOTLIGHT: Les Kiss played a bat straighter than Steve Smith in his pomp when quizzed about his Wallabies head coaching aspirations, despite speaking for almost 20 minutes ahead of the Reds’ season opener against Moana Pasifika.
It was a nod to Basil Fawlty and the Fawlty Towers episode ‘The Germans’, where Basil advised “don’t mention the war”.
Kiss did confirm he had met with Rugby Australia about replacing outgoing Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt.
But the Reds mentor’s total focus was on the Super Rugby showdown with Moana Pasifika at Lang Park on Friday night.
Kiss is a frontrunner to replace Schmidt after this year’s Rugby Championship. The Wallabies coach announced this month he couldn’t carry on through until the Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027.
Schmidt is open to assuming a consultancy role if the next coach asks him.
Given he has worked with Schmidt before during his stint coaching Ireland, Kiss shapes as an obvious candidate.
Kiss, on Wednesday, was asked where he was situated with the Wallabies job and how he was juggling that possible opportunity with guiding the Reds.
“I have got Moana this week. It is open knowledge that RA have spoken to all the coaches in Australia. They have had a small chat with me,” Kiss said.
“I am focused on getting [the Reds team] this right.”
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Next question: Are you interested in the Wallabies job?
“I am interested in winning against Moana. That is my focus, in all honesty,” he said.
Kiss is determined for the Reds to make a winning start against Moana Pasifika
“These boys are focused on that. That is my respect for this team, to go out and make sure we make a good fist of our first game.”
Would you be ready to coach the Wallabies if asked though?
Once again Kiss played a forward defensive bat of Allan Border proportions.
“I am ready to actually get to a captain’s run tomorrow at Lang Park and go and nail what we need to,” Kiss grinned.
“I have too much respect for my team to talk about anything other than the plan we have put in place.”
Kiss has a close rapport with close friend Schmidt and said he backed his decision.
“For Joe, I am just happy. What he wants to do, that is fine,” Kiss said.
“I said last year that all of us have a great respect for him and what he is doing, I know he is focused on making sure we get [the Wallabies] right this year and we get to the British and Irish Lions and do something special.”
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