Les Kiss has expressed a mix of emotions following his final match leading the Queensland Reds, as his attention now pivots to his upcoming role as the head coach of the national team. The Reds concluded their Super Rugby season with a 46-24 defeat against the Waikato Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday, marking the end of Kiss’s three-year tenure.

Reds’ Season Concludes Amidst Broader Rugby Landscape

Kiss described the feeling as “mixed emotions in a lot of ways — I’m bloody proud of the boys and gutted for them at the same time.” This loss, coupled with the ACT Brumbies’ significant playoff defeat, means no Australian teams will advance to the tournament semi-finals.

Kiss acknowledged the performance of the New Zealand teams, stating, “I think you’ve got to just recognise that the Kiwi teams have been in pretty good form most of the year.” He added that while the Reds showed improvement and competed strongly, “a few moments that they (Chiefs) profited on.” He remains optimistic about the overall state of the competition, concluding, “I think the comp’s still in a good place.”

Transition to National Coaching Duties

The focus for Australian rugby now shifts to the inaugural Nations Championship, where the national team will host Ireland, France, and Italy in July. Current national coach Joe Schmidt will oversee these matches before handing over leadership to Kiss.

Kiss’s initial assignments as the national coach will involve back-to-back fixtures against Eddie Jones’s Japan in August. However, he will be shadowing Schmidt during the Nations Championship. Schmidt indicated his intention to involve Kiss in selection decisions, stating last month to Australian media, “I’ll definitely involve Les in anything selection-wise. I’ll always run things past Les, and there’s a little bit of influence he can have in those first three Tests for selection right from the start.”

Kiss, who previously served as an assistant to Schmidt during his time coaching Ireland, emphasized that his immediate priority is to “tidy things up here with the Reds.” He added, “So we make sure we do that right. And as with everything, life moves on, footy moves on and onto the next task.”

Player Perspective on Kiss’s Impact

Reds captain Fraser McReight, considered a strong candidate for Schmidt’s final three Tests, expressed confidence in Kiss’s future at the national level. “Les has been huge (over the last three years),” McReight commented after the Chiefs match. “I think you are seeing all the senior players playing their best footy under Les and that’s no coincidence. He has shown this ability to bring people through, other coaches, our talent pool and give us rope to grow.”

Vern Cotter, formerly of Scotland and Fiji and currently with the Auckland Blues, is set to succeed Kiss as the head coach of the Reds.