After a long and complicated negotiation, the Wallabies coaching future for the golden decade is secure with a unique set up – Les Kiss signing a new deal to succeed Joe Schmidt as Wallabies coach – though we will have to wait until 2026.
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Kiss has had a wild ride to get to Australia’s top job – even starting his career in a different code – but if there is one thing that can be used to describe the 60-year-old, it is growth.
Rugby.com.au breaks down the key dates in Kiss’ career that brought him to the head of the Australian men’s national team.
11 June
Age 24, Kiss played his first official first grade league match, debuting for Wide Bay against the Great Britain Lions on their 1984 tour of Australia.
9 March
After a strong breakout season in 1985 for the Fortitude Valley Diehards club in the Brisbane Rugby League competition, Kiss would earn his debut cap for the rugby league team that he would become synonymous with in league circles: the North Sydney Bears.
10 June
In his breakout season, Kiss impressed – and was quickly selected for the Queensland Maroons squad, debuting in match two of the three match series.
19 July
His meteoric rise culminated in a debut at the Sydney Cricket Ground for the Kangaroos in match two of their three-match series against New Zealand – playing alongside league greats such as Peter Stirling, Michael O’Connor, and Immortal Wally Lewis.
24 September
Kiss completes a stellar breakout season after featuring in The 1986 ‘Unbeatables’ Kangaroos tour and scoring two tries against Papua New Guinea by winning the 1986 Dally M Winger Of The Year Award. In his brief representative career, Kiss never lost a match in Kangaroo colours.
Kiss would struggle to find form for several years after picking up an up an injury against Halifax on the Kangaroos’ 1986 tour. Kiss would return to State of Origin in 1990, being named in the opening match for the Maroons. He would be dropped after the second match of the series, losing all games in Queensland colours.
After playing most of the 1992 season, injury cruelled Kiss’ playing hopes again, only playing three matches in his final season. His final match saw the Bears lose 28-8 to Illawarra at North Sydney Oval – in his 100th and final top grade appearance.
Kiss would get his first start in coaching as joint head coach of the London Broncos with fellow Bears alumni (and future Brumbies head coach) Tony Rea.
After as stint as an assistant coach for NRL side the Northern Eagles, Kiss makes the transition to rugby union, joining the Springboks coaching team as defence coach. The following year, his role expands, serving as an advisor for Super 12 franchises the Bulls, Stormers and Cats.
Following the conclusion of the Tri-Nations, Kiss returns to Australia, being announced as assistant coach for the Waratahs in October 2002.
In addition to the Waratahs, Kiss takes up an Assistant coach role for Australia A, a position he would hold intermittently until 2007.
Under Kiss and head coach Ewen McKenzie, the Waratahs have their best season so far – making their maiden final, but going down to the Crusaders 35-25.
14 April
Kiss is announced he’ll be leaving the Waratahs to become the defensive coach of Ireland under Declan Kidney in 2009.
31 May
After going out in the 2006 semi-finals to the Hurricanes, Kiss and McKenzie get the Waratahs to their second final – again going down to the Crusaders 20-12.
21 March
At Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Ireland defeat Wales 17-15 to win the Six Nations undefeated – winning their first Grand Slam since 1948 and first Triple Crown since 2007.
2 April
Ireland finishes in fifth in the 2013 Six Nations, including a historic loss to Italy, with Kidney’s contract terminated shortly afterwards. Kiss is appointed as Ireland’s interim head coach.
19 May
Joe Schmidt is confirmed as Ireland’s head coach, with Kiss confirming he will stay on as defence coach of Ireland.
8 June / 15 June
As interim head coach, Kiss leads Ireland to victories over the USA and Canada.
9 November
Joe Schmidt, with Kiss as defence coach, wins his first match for Ireland, defeating Samoa 40-9.
15 March
Kiss and Schmidt lead Ireland to their 12th Six Nations title, defeating France in Paris 22-20.
14 June
Kiss and Schmidt win their first ever series on Argentine soil, clean sweeping Los Pumas in their June tour.
30 June
Kiss becomes the interim director of rugby at Ulster, transitioning to the role full time in 2015.
1 March
Ireland defeat England to win ten Test matches in a row, equaling their all-time best winning streak at the time.
21 March
Ireland defeat Scotland to record back-to-back Six Nations titles.
18 October
Following Ireland being knocked out of the 2015 World Cup quarter-finals by Argentina, Kiss departs Joe Schmidt’s coaching staff to transition to Ulster’s full time Director of Rugby role.
31 January
Les Kiss departs Ulster’s Director of Rugby role.
9 March
Kiss reunites with Declan Kidney at London Irish, becoming head coach.
27 April
Under Kiss’ leadership, London Irish win the RFU Championship, being promoted back to the Premiership.
19 March
London Irish achieve their best result in the Premiership since 2009, finishing fifth at the end of the regular season – with two runners up finishes in the Premiership Cup in 2022 and 2023.
23 July
Following London Irish falling into administration, Kiss is announced as the new coach of the Queensland Reds, signing a three year deal to take over from Brad Thorn and marking his first return to Australia in 14 years.
In Kiss’ first year at the Reds, the side finishes in fifth and qualifies for quarter-finals, their best result in the non-domestic version of the competition since 2013.
30 April
Following continued improving form in Queensland, Kiss is announced as successor to Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt to lead the Wallabies to the 2027 World Cup in Australia, taking effect following the World Nations Cup in the July window of 2026.
