Shock name emerges as contender for Wallabies job as failed England head coach added to shortlist
Current Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt and Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh.
Rugby Australia have reportedly added a surprise name to their shortlist as the search for the next Wallabies head coach continues.
It has been announced that Joe Schmidt will leave his position after the conclusion of the Rugby Championship in early October.
Since then RA have been looking for his successor with Reds boss Les Kiss thought to be favourite to take over, but the governing body could have thrown a spanner in the works.
According to The Roar, Stuart Lancaster has been added to the list of potential candidates, and it is believed that he spoke to an RA official recently.
Schmidt-Lancaster connection
Lancaster has been out of a job since leaving Racing 92 earlier this year, but Schmidt certainly knows him well from his time in Ireland.
The 55-year-old became senior coach at Leinster in 2016 after departing as England boss following their 2015 Rugby World Cup failure.
At that point, the current Wallabies head honcho was leading the Irish national team, a role he would remain in until the conclusion of the 2019 global tournament.
Given the connections, it is therefore not an outlandish inclusion, while it may also be an attractive proposition for RA.
Although a replacement does not need to be confirmed for another six months, there was a suggestion that the governing body would have acted by now.
With Kiss, who has been favourite from the outset, impressing as Reds head coach, it arguably makes the decision even easier for RA, but a deal has yet to be agreed.
The 60-year-old joined the Queensland outfit at the start of 2024 on a three-year contract, which means he is due to remain at the franchise until the end of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season.
That therefore makes negotiations slightly trickier given that the Reds will not want to lose their highly rated coach when they are in such a strong position.
It was an issue that was discussed on Stan Sport’s The Inside Line podcast as Wallabies legend Tim Horan queried whether he could combine the roles initially.
Kiss balancing act
“If Les Kiss does go and coach the Wallabies, can he actually do Super Rugby next year? Would Rugby Australia allow that and say, ‘okay, you’re announced as Wallabies boss, you do the back end of this year and then you still do the Reds next year’.”
Sydney Morning Herald reporter Iain Payten responded: “I remember asking someone a question, I can’t remember who, but the overall feedback I got was that’s not the desired outcome at all.
“We obviously saw Michael Cheika do that at the end of 2014 and throughout 2015, but that was obviously different circumstances with Ewen [McKenzie] basically getting up and walking out down the long tunnel at Suncorp.
“They’ve had a lot more time to plan this. They talk about consistency and continuity. In some ways, that works out, but having two jobs… no one says that it’s the optimum way to do business.”
That could duly open the door for someone like Lancaster, who is currently without a job and would not need to be released from any contract.
RA do have other homegrown options, with Waratahs head coach Dan McKellar and Brumbies boss Stephen Larkham thought to be leading candidates, but they would provide the same stumbling block as Kiss.
Cheika has also been linked to a return to the Wallabies hotseat, but that talk has cooled over recent weeks with him more fancied for the vacant Wales job.
👀 READ MORE: Stuart Lancaster leaves Racing 92 with immediate effect after a dismal run as possible Ireland return looms
