Queensland Rugby Union chief executive David Hanham has vowed to recruit an “international standard” coach to replace Les Kiss at the Reds once the former State of Origin flyer begins his Wallabies duties.
Kiss was officially confirmed on Wednesday as the man to replace Joe Schmidt, however he will not take the reins until after the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific campaign, when his Reds contract is due to end.
That has given the club time to conduct a worldwide hunt for his successor, with Hanham confirming they would not need to secure an appointment until about August next year.
Les Kiss was officially announced as the next Wallabies coach on Wednesday.Credit: Getty Images
Hanham’s revelation of a global search could pave the way for names such as Michael Cheika to join the conversation.
And while he didn’t touch on any names who would spearhead the list of candidates, he said they wanted someone with similar experience.
“We truly believe this is one of the best coaching jobs in provincial rugby. You’ve got a world-class training facility, [and] you’ve got a great playing list – players who have signed up for the next two to three years – so the spine of our team is in a really good place,” Hanham said.
“The process for us is no different to what we did last time – and look where we are today; we’re talking about the Wallabies coach who came through our process to get Les at the Reds.
“Our view is we need an international-standard coach. We’ve got good coaches coming through the system as well, so we want to put that out there that we are globally recognised and revered, but also we’re going to be a great place to work.
“Like we did with Les – 27 years, and he’s coached all around the world – there’s a level of experience we need in the system to maintain performance and evolve.”
The Reds have undergone a considerable rise under Kiss, finishing fifth last year while claiming wins against the Crusaders (in Christchurch), the Chiefs and the Highlanders, in a rare triple-scalp of their New Zealand rivals.
This year, they conquered the Highlanders again (this time in Dunedin) and knocked off the Blues in Brisbane to now have them on the cusp of securing a first top-four finish since 2012, excluding the Super Rugby Australia campaigns.
Leaders in the Wallabies’ set-up – Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson, Matt Faessler and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto – have also inked long-term contract extensions until at least the end of the 2027 World Cup on home soil, turning down lucrative overseas ventures in the process.
Six squad members earned their maiden Test caps under Kiss’ tutelage, while Wilson, Hunter Paisami and Liam Wright all garnered recalls after hitting career-best form.
This is why Hanham confirmed the playing group would have a role in determining who the next man would be at the Ballymore helm from 2027, as was the case when Kiss was brought into the fold.
“I think it’s essential. Unfortunately, sporting teams don’t tend to focus on asking the players what they need, rather just telling them what they’re going to get,” Hanham said.
“When we spoke to the players prior to Les, we didn’t ask them who they want, but what attributes do you need to evolve and grow, and a lot of those attributes – if not all of them – were met by Les.
“I definitely think it’s an evolution, not a revolution, so we want to keep evolving as a team and keep improving as we head into the ’27 season.
“The fact is, Les is going to be the Wallabies coach and transitioning to the next Reds coach, and that again is a really unique opportunity. Definitely getting continuity and stability for us will be crucial.”
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