Have heard a few times if Les goes to the Wallabies job if he could do it and the Reds together. Personally I don't like it and don't think RA would go for it anyway, I do wonder about the merits/possibility of a guy like Zane Hilton being Wallaby assistant coach and Reds head coach together though. Seems a very good coach on the rise and might be a way to keep continuity at Reds and, if he wants, for Les to keep his right hand man
Wallaby Coach after Joe
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PhilClinton
Paul McLean (56)
I can’t see them making the Wallabies job part time. Particularly with this Schmidt situation where he and Cron have been working from NZ and now leaving. They’ll want a full time coach who is committed and working in their environment.
@Wilson re Cheika. I’m still not 100% sure he was really part of the Wobs process. Early reports were that he sought out Waugh to apply. I think RA would be doing the right thing keeping a coach of his caliber in the loop and potentially pitching some scenarios where he took over either the Reds, Tahs or Brumbies pending the head coach decision.
The Reds have a team that can probably win a few SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) titles and I actually think the Cheika sugar rush could be good to get some trophies in the cabinet and keep the buzz.
@Wilson re Cheika. I’m still not 100% sure he was really part of the Wobs process. Early reports were that he sought out Waugh to apply. I think RA would be doing the right thing keeping a coach of his caliber in the loop and potentially pitching some scenarios where he took over either the Reds, Tahs or Brumbies pending the head coach decision.
The Reds have a team that can probably win a few SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) titles and I actually think the Cheika sugar rush could be good to get some trophies in the cabinet and keep the buzz.
Wilson
John Eales (66)
He made himself part of the process, whether or not he was ever a viable candidate. RA may not feel like they passed him over, but he probably will. Whether or not there's bad blood as a result is not necessarily a give in, but Cheika was not exactly a team player with respect to the broader Australian rugby landscape in his time at the tahs. RA might want to keep him in the frame for more options down the line (though I'm a bit skeptical that they'd be looking at him too close given the reporting on his candidacy as wallabies coach), but that won't go as far with the independent QRU as it might with the Brumbies or tahs, who RA control.
There are scores of coaches going around right now I'd look at to coach the Reds before Cheika, and if he's an option that means the vast majority of the market is too, at least financially. Even if you were to narrow it down to Australians only (I don't see why we would), then getting in Billy Millard paired with an up and coming coach like Halangahu, Peter Hewat or Brock James would be a much better setup.
LeCheese
John Hipwell (52)
Doran has it that Larkham has withdrawn from the race - just Kiss and Lancaster remain
dru
David Wilson (68)
Well, that's a softball decision. Still pissed off unless there is adequate consideration back at the Reds.
PhilClinton
Paul McLean (56)
McKellar hasn't changed much. He ran off when he was told he wasn't in consideration for the Wallabies gig the first time around and now saying 'he was never in contention' is such a gee up!! He was never good enough.
And Larkham saying he's withdrawn to focus on the Brumbies is such a cop out as well.
Man the fuck up lads, if you weren't good enough to be selected let's just call a spade a spade.
And Larkham saying he's withdrawn to focus on the Brumbies is such a cop out as well.
Man the fuck up lads, if you weren't good enough to be selected let's just call a spade a spade.
Slim 293
George Smith (75)
What an odd post…
Alex Sharpe
Ted Fahey (11)
Odd/stupid can be fairly interchangeable here
Derpus
Phil Waugh (73)
Hitting BR (still hoping all is well) levels of nonsense parochialism...
I like it.
Wilson
John Eales (66)
Christy has Les Kiss to coach both the Wallabies and Reds next year:
Mike Cron and Geoff Parling might also stick around. Lancaster still in talks about taking a role somewhere. Zane Hilton favoured to take over the Reds in 2027, but the QRU are keen on a full process, rather than just a simple promotion.
Mike Cron and Geoff Parling might also stick around. Lancaster still in talks about taking a role somewhere. Zane Hilton favoured to take over the Reds in 2027, but the QRU are keen on a full process, rather than just a simple promotion.
PhilClinton
Paul McLean (56)
Interesting. That is obviously good for the Reds.
But I have to admit - it seems like RA have let this process get away from them a bit. Maybe they're hyper aware of making sure the right coach is selected after the Eddie Jones stuff, but the whole narrative around this new coach has been drawn out and seems to be bending to the needs of others.
First they throw the kitchen sink at Schmidt and he still decides to leave, then they agree to give him a consulting role and now they're going to have a full time SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) coach also head coaching the Wallabies for the first time in a long time.
But I have to admit - it seems like RA have let this process get away from them a bit. Maybe they're hyper aware of making sure the right coach is selected after the Eddie Jones stuff, but the whole narrative around this new coach has been drawn out and seems to be bending to the needs of others.
First they throw the kitchen sink at Schmidt and he still decides to leave, then they agree to give him a consulting role and now they're going to have a full time SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) coach also head coaching the Wallabies for the first time in a long time.
Slim 293
George Smith (75)
Cheika...
Tomthumb
Peter Fenwicke (45)
The problem is how reactionary RA has been and that they themselves set timelines that they then haven’t met
Schmidt only ever signed through to the Lions, so there should have been a contingency plan already set in place. Instead, it seems their only plan was to beg Schmidt to stay, which failed
They also set the early December timeline for a Schmidt decision and then went radio silent for over a month after. Waugh also said the Wallabies coach would be finalised by the first few rounds of Super rugby, yet here we are over half way though and nothing is confirmed
And now they are seemingly hiring Les Kiss yet not letting him hire all his own assistants and reportedly giving oversight to a guy living in NZ
Schmidt only ever signed through to the Lions, so there should have been a contingency plan already set in place. Instead, it seems their only plan was to beg Schmidt to stay, which failed
They also set the early December timeline for a Schmidt decision and then went radio silent for over a month after. Waugh also said the Wallabies coach would be finalised by the first few rounds of Super rugby, yet here we are over half way though and nothing is confirmed
And now they are seemingly hiring Les Kiss yet not letting him hire all his own assistants and reportedly giving oversight to a guy living in NZ
Slim 293
George Smith (75)
This all seems a little hysterical to me...
They wanted their preferred candidate to stay, but when he officially declined, despite also being persuaded to stay on longer than initially contracted, they began the recruitment process.
I'm not sure what other contingency they should have put in place?
I think it's safe to assume they're having discussions about all of this in the meantime that the general public aren't privy to...
The whole timeline thing is not a big deal... they put out vague comments about roughly when they might make an announcement, but this is also a process that shouldn't be rushed.
And it's still going to be completed with plenty of time to go.
They wanted their preferred candidate to stay, but when he officially declined, despite also being persuaded to stay on longer than initially contracted, they began the recruitment process.
I'm not sure what other contingency they should have put in place?
I think it's safe to assume they're having discussions about all of this in the meantime that the general public aren't privy to...
The whole timeline thing is not a big deal... they put out vague comments about roughly when they might make an announcement, but this is also a process that shouldn't be rushed.
And it's still going to be completed with plenty of time to go.
For all the criticism, this appointment will be made with longer between the announcement date and both the start date of the job and the first test under their control than Schmidt's appointment.
That in itself was longer than the lead time on previous appointments.
Rugby Australia have definitely dragged out the process relative to the expectations they set but they also commenced the process earlier than they ever have before leaving them with more time to make the appointment.