Rugby Australia is pleased to announce the appointment of Les Kiss as the next Wallabies Head Coach from mid-2026 through to the end of 2028, with Joe Schmidt to continue in the role of Wallabies Head Coach until that time.
The transition of the Head Coach position after the Australian leg of the Nations Cup in 2026 provides the Wallabies with:
- Minimal disruption to the Australian Rugby ecosystem with Kiss to complete his contract with the Reds in 2026,
- An orderly transfer from Schmidt to Kiss between the British and Irish Lions tour in 2025 and the Rugby World Cup in 2027,
- 14 additional Tests for Schmidt to build upon the foundations established in 2024 over and above his initial 17-Test commitment.
Schmidt and Kiss have enjoyed…