Identity of Joe Schmidt’s likely successor revealed as Rugby Australia anger club by ‘speaking’ to top candidate – report

Rugby Australia already have a contingency plan in place should Joe Schmidt decide to leave the Wallabies next year, according to a report.

The 59-year-old joined the Wallabies at the start of 2024 following Eddie Jones’ disastrous reign, but his deal only lasts until the conclusion of the British and Irish Lions series next year.

RA are hoping to extend that contract until the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup but, should Schmidt decide to leave, they could have already found his successor.

Wallabies’ next head coach?

According to The Roar, the governing body have been speaking to Reds head coach Les Kiss about taking on the role, although news of those discussions have not gone down well at the Queensland outfit.

Kiss joined the side ahead of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season having spent the previous 15 years in Europe with Ireland, Ulster and London Irish.

He signed a three-year deal until the end of 2026 and oversaw an improvement in his first campaign as they finished fifth in the table following eight victories in 14 matches.

It would be a blow for the Reds should he replace Schmidt at the Wallabies, but it is looking distinctly possible with reports suggesting that the former All Blacks coach’s preference is to head home to New Zealand.

The governing body’s CEO Phil Waugh confirmed on Tuesday that he is set to chat to Schmidt this week in order to get some clarity on his future.

“We’ve been working through with Joe, he’s still overseas and coming back this week, so we expect to sit down with Joe and work through the plan post-Lions,” Waugh told reporters.

“He’s done a lot of heavy lifting and there’s been progress in the Wallabies environment, and he’s surrounded himself with really good people. Now it’s important to give players and staff certainty over the next few weeks.”

Joe Schmidt and Rugby Australia set for showdown talks on Wallabies contract situation

Waugh also publicly namechecked Kiss when listing Australia’s “strong” current coaching options in Super Rugby.

‘Well positioned’

“We’re working through what that may look like, which is appropriate business practice when you don’t have certain outcomes,” he added.

“I think Joe was quite overt around the fact that he saw his responsibility in elevating Australia and also providing a platform for an Australian to take over when he does finish up.

“If you look across our Super Rugby clubs now the four head coaches across the system – Simon Cron is a strong coach at the Force, you’ve got Stephen Larkham at the Brumbies, Les Kiss in Queensland and Dan McKellar at NSW, so we’ve got four very strong coaches in our system.

“I think that we’re well positioned.”

It is understood that RA would like whoever succeeds Schmidt to shadow the New Zealander during the Lions series before taking over.

That puts Kiss in a strong position considering his history with the current Wallabies boss after they built up a strong relationship while in Ireland.

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