Wallabies 2025

[Wilson]

This is (close-to!) Les Kiss's record as a pro-DOR or head coach. It's not going to be 100% accurate because of how many weird games they play in Europe and I've excluded the 18/19 London Irish season in the second division and any challange cup games. He also left Ulster before the season finished in 2017, so may have missed a game or two there. Obviously doesn't include time with Ireland either

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Missing the final London Irish season there (22/23) - played 20, won 10

 

[Strewthcobber]

Missing the final London Irish season there (22/23) - played 20, won 10

Right you are - have fixed the spreadsheet and edited the post. They also played Champions Cup that season too

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

It is interesting to see where the French clubs invest in players, and where Australian rugby does.

I don't think we would align very well with their priorities.

I don't necessarily think the French are right here

Interesting but not surprising. Value seems to track physical rarity which makes sense. Fly-Halves and Centres are a skill based rarity but genuine Locks and Props need a lot of genetics to go your way. How many guys get shoved on a wing because their small and quick. If they got heavy they end up a flanker, too slow you get shoved in at Hooker.

Zane Hilton is probably the favourite to replace Les Kiss at the Reds, not sure he'd be too quick to jump elsewhere though. Latham might be a candidate to come in as a backs coach.

Probably too early for Mowen to step in at the Brumbies but not impossible. Friend would also be a candidate there.

Mike Catt is probably the only guy at the tahs who could step into the head coach role, assuming he wants it. Whoever gets tapped for the wallabies job, I'd also have Dan Palmer move into the wallabies setup to replace Mike Cron.

For general candidates for any of those roles it's probably the usual set who get thrown up - the big names in Cheika, Lancaster, and Scott Wisemantel who missed out on the tahs gig. Wisemantal is the most exciting one there, but he may have been a bit burnt by RA in the process for the tahs top job. Outside of that is the guys like Mananeti, Hewat, Halangahu, Sampson, Hoiles and Brock James, all of whom are a bit more of a gamble but not outside the realm of possibility.

Hilton feels like the choice for continuity which the Reds seem to be on a good path atm so I'd want to keep it going. Outside coach even if a former Red will still bring natural turnover and preferences. Latham has said he wants that job but the MLR just doesn't sell me. It probably is a good place to learn to use resources wisely though... Assistant could be an option but I think he wants more now.

Halangahu is such a good prospect and I get the fact he's said he's settled and likes NZ but for a HC role I think people move and know it's part of the career you chose. Might not uproot everything for an assistants job when you already sit in that chair though. Makes me think he's been tapped for a future job in NZ.

 

[Tomthumb]

Maybe they just want a Schmidt disciple ahead of the 2027 RWC - Schmidt has said he's still interested in a consulting type role so maybe this is the next best thing under the circumstances and given the dearth of available and suitable international coaches at this point in the cycle.

Is he a Schmidt disciple? They only coached together for 2 years and seem to have vastly different ideas when it comes to attack

Hiring the Temu version of the coach you actually want doesn't seem like a great idea to me. I'm not against Kiss per se, but if this is the reasoning it would be pretty worrying

 

[Ignoto]

Latham has said he wants that job but the MLR just doesn't sell me. It probably is a good place to learn to use resources wisely though... Assistant could be an option but I think he wants more now.

I agree on this whole hardheartedly.

I'm excited about having a club legend who is passionate and has been toiling away to develop into a coach, but, I think HC of the Reds is too big of a jump for Latham on his currently experience.

Looking at his coaching CV, he really hasn't had a position where he's been under huge pressure to deliver results.

The Reds previously went through bringing a "junior" coach through the ranks in Thorn. There was lots of growing pains for him + the club and players and is somewhere I do not think this playing group needs to regress to.

 

[Wilson]

Hilton feels like the choice for continuity which the Reds seem to be on a good path atm so I'd want to keep it going. Outside coach even if a former Red will still bring natural turnover and preferences. Latham has said he wants that job but the MLR just doesn't sell me. It probably is a good place to learn to use resources wisely though... Assistant could be an option but I think he wants more now.

Halangahu is such a good prospect and I get the fact he's said he's settled and likes NZ but for a HC role I think people move and know it's part of the career you chose. Might not uproot everything for an assistants job when you already sit in that chair though. Makes me think he's been tapped for a future job in NZ.

I like Hilton a lot as a candidate, and I'm pretty sure he was bought in with an eye to stepping into the role, I just wish it was in a few more years time. That said, he has about as much experience as you could hope for before getting a first top flight head coaching gig, and 2 years with the team as an assistant isn't a bad lead in. It'll just be a question of getting the right team around him, particularly in the backs/attack role given Kiss has been handling that.

For Halangahu, I don't think he's so settled that he wouldn't jump at a 3 year deal to coach a super side (particularly the tahs), but it probably depends on what happens with Cotter/the Blues, and maybe the Chiefs with McMillan leaving. If those two roles are filled by others than I think he'll be very receptive, but if one is still open he'll likely be a leading candidate for it.

Leon MacDonald is the other outside chance for the job, but I have a feeling he's biding his time right now with the Force to jump on an international coaching gig.

 

[KOB1987]

Is he a Schmidt disciple? They only coached together for 2 years and seem to have vastly different ideas when it comes to attack

Hiring the Temu version of the coach you actually want doesn't seem like a great idea to me. I'm not against Kiss per se, but if this is the reasoning it would be pretty worrying

I meant to add that I wasn't necessarily in favour of it either. I was only speculating but a better way to phrase it would be: it seems that Joe would have stayed on if not for his family commitments in NZ, but probably only until end of RWC 2027, and in any case is keen to retain a consulting role, so given the dearth of available and suitable international coaches at this stage of the cycle perhaps the best way to ensure continuity of the coaching style is to groom Kiss into the position with Schmidt 'supervising' from over the ditch in a consulting role.

 

[Homer]

I like Hilton a lot as a candidate, and I'm pretty sure he was bought in with an eye to stepping into the role, I just wish it was in a few more years time. That said, he has about as much experience as you could hope for before getting a first top flight head coaching gig, and 2 years with the team as an assistant isn't a bad lead in. It'll just be a question of getting the right team around him, particularly in the backs/attack role given Kiss has been handling that.

For Halangahu, I don't think he's so settled that he wouldn't jump at a 3 year deal to coach a super side (particularly the tahs), but it probably depends on what happens with Cotter/the Blues, and maybe the Chiefs with McMillan leaving. If those two roles are filled by others than I think he'll be very receptive, but if one is still open he'll likely be a leading candidate for it.

Leon MacDonald is the other outside chance for the job, but I have a feeling he's biding his time right now with the Force to jump on an international coaching gig.

Cant see much on the international front till after the WC for Macdonald, unless you want Wales. A stint with the reds or brumbies would certainly be good for the resume. The Force gig could be just to lock him in until they can announce him as a new coach.

 

[Hogan]

Listening to Doran’s mail on the next coach, he seems to think Kiss is the favourite and Larkham & McKellar aren’t really in the running

If that’s the case, I’d genuinely love to know what Les Kiss has done that makes him a superior candidate? Him being mates with Joe Schmidt seems to matter more than it should for a high performance job. The nativity of his gameplan vs the Crusaders didn’t exactly scream coaching mastermind either

Cheika is the answer on a short 2 year contract thru to the end of the WC with Kiss and co as his assistants. Cheika can then hand over to Kiss.

Cheika is by far the most experienced and successful internationally of all the local candidates and has the runs on the board at Rugby World Cups.

 

[Homer]

Very surprised there isnt more inside info from the journo's on this. A week out you'd think there would be some solid intel on who it is, even Doran doesnt seem sure.

 

[Derpus]

This is (close-to!) Les Kiss's record as a pro-DOR or head coach. It's not going to be 100% accurate because of how many weird games they play in Europe and I've excluded the 18/19 London Irish season in the second division and any challenge cup games. He also left Ulster before the season finished in 2017, so may have missed a game or two there. Obviously doesn't include time with Ireland either

View attachment 21204

Not the most impressive resume, is it?

 

[Strewthcobber]

Not the most impressive resume, is it?

It'd be the weakest record for a Wallaby coach since probably Rod McQueen, and even he would have had a superior win %