2 months ago
In 1986, astir nan clip nan 21-year-old Les Kiss was announcing himself to nan rugby convention world by debuting for nan North Sydney Bears, nan Queensland Origin broadside and Australia successful nan abstraction of 5 months, nan Breakfast Creek Gang was carving retired its ain fable arsenic “a disparate, yet harmonious, blend of wharfies, coppers, journos, lawyers, car dealers, bookies, small-time criminals and Labor statement identities.”
Four decades connected and Kiss, the incoming Wallabies coach, is simply a proud personnel of nan garrulous rabble now trading arsenic nan Breakfast Creek Athletic Club. “A very inspiring, talented, connected, grounded group of people,” he tells nan Guardian. “Once a week we meet for a tally aliases a walk, java and a chat, possibly meal and a fewer beers. We’ve astir apt each sewage much problems than we admit to … but for maine it’s a wellbeing abstraction aft truthful agelong away.”
Kiss’s problem is bigger than most: returning Australian rugby to nan apical of nan world. When he takes nan reins successful July, he has 14 months and 19 Tests earlier nan World Cup connected location soil. “I’m not going to beryllium a large alteration agent,” Kiss says. “It’s not a revolution, it’s evolution. The correct things, nan large rocks, will enactment successful place. The themes that matter – discipline, accountability, readying – will stay nan same.”
But Kiss is an outlier. For starters, he’s a “leaguie” who’s ne'er moreover played union. “It meant I really had to gain my stripes,” Kiss says. “I’ve learned it’s a player’s crippled and nan locker room is each club’s heartbeat. Get standards right, create an situation which allows everyone to beryllium their best, and nan 80 minutes of crippled clip takes attraction of itself. I’m not a copy-and-paste coach. I’m a large believer successful values forged together.”
Kiss’s ain values were shaped by his parents who fled nan Hungarian Revolution to settee successful Bundaberg successful nan 1950s, and his accelerated emergence arsenic a flying winger successful nan 80s. “Everything aligned and it each happened astatine a complaint of knots,” he says of his glory days. “When you’re playing bully footy, each you tin do is thrust nan activity and bask it. I’m gladsome I did because I soon sewage a large dumper which buggered my knee for 4 years.”
The extremity of his playing profession successful convention dovetailed perversely into coaching union. “Being sidelined pinch wounded invigorated my mind,” Kiss says. “Something tugged astatine me, saying ‘dive into this coaching space’. At nan clip I was successful marketing, trading poker machines for nan Leagues nine while coaching Norths juniors. I could’ve ended up an obese, divided alcoholic travelling nan world trading pokies aliases surviving successful Vegas.”
Instead, Kiss’s singular emergence to Australian rugby’s apical occupation happened by stealth.
By nan clip Kiss returned location to go coach of nan Queensland Reds successful 2024, it closed nan book connected nan champion portion of 20 years overseas, firstly arsenic defence coach pinch nan Springboks successful 2001-02, past arsenic adjunct coach of Ireland successful 2009-15 and 3 years arsenic head of Ulster Rugby, nan last 5 pinch London Irish successful nan Premiership.
“All I’ve really been is simply a footy subordinate and a coach,” Kiss says, smiling nether his pencil moustache. “Lots of ups and downs, but that’s life. Bizarre but cool too. Maybe it’s not nan correct way, but it’s really I’ve done it. Family is massively important to maine and each squad I activity pinch is simply a family.
“Coaching is astir relationship and rapport, building thing beardown together. It’s not a occupation I ever really timepiece disconnected from. I’m invested.”
For now, and 3 Tests successful July, nan leader is still Joe Schmidt, nan New Zealander mastercoach who has patched nan Wallabies wounds aft a disastrous 2023 World Cup campaign, and whose adjacent relationship and coaching alchemy pinch Kiss ensures a soft transition.
“We’ve coached astir 40 Tests together and developed a very bully rapport,” Kiss says. “Our learning curve together has been really strong. He helped maine understand nan breakdown and taught maine to put nan correct things successful spot for a squad to succeed.”
The Kiss service is now taking shape. Scott McLeod, a personnel of nan All Blacks unit astatine nan past 2 Rugby World Cups, precocious joined his brains spot arsenic defence coach, while expert Eoin Toolan and setpiece coach Tom Donnelly proceed successful their roles. Scrum guru Mike Cron and adjunct Laurie Fisher will enactment connected arsenic consultants. Kiss besides singles retired skills svengali Mick Byrne and U20s leader Chris Whitaker for praise.
Despite truthful galore “new tabs popping up”, Kiss is “100% dedicated to nan Reds – nary measurement will I fto these guys down”. His reign has inspired nan astir tries for Queensland successful 30 years of Super Rugby, consecutive quarter-finals and grounds crowds. In 2026, they are 4-2 and looking to fastener successful a top-four spot against nan Force this Saturday. And arsenic a erstwhile winger, Kiss relishes nan return of Dylan Pietsch, nan debut of NRL person Zac Lomax for nan Force and 18-year-old Reds starter Treyvan Pritachard.
These flyers, on pinch Mark Nawaqanitawase and Max Jorgensen, style arsenic nan upwind beneath Kiss’s wings for nan World Cup. “There is simply a uniquely Australian measurement to play,” he says. “Our athletes are forged successful backyards, friends dusting each different up, uncovering a measurement to win. Sometimes you person to beryllium inventive, sometimes physical. The Australian measurement isn’t formulaic, it’s expressive. Outside power is important but there’s a measurement Australians lick things connected nan sports section that make america special.”
