For the Wallabies role, “Surgical” Schmidt is the ideal candidate: Kiss
Les Kiss, the Queensland coach, agrees, having previously collaborated with Joe Schmidt, the new Wallabies coach for Ireland.
Schmidt called himself a “boring pragmatist” last week, and Kiss agreed, saying the failing national team requires a process-driven approach.
Eddie Jones was replaced as the new Wallabies coach by Kiwi Schmidt on Friday. The move came following the team’s turbulent World Cup campaign, in which they failed to advance past the group stage.
Kiss described Schmidt as someone who “will cut through the fluff and get to the main things that matter.”
“(He) will focus on the areas where he can have the biggest impact and make the most of the group’s strengths.”
“He’ll get right to the point and make things simple, saying that if you do this right, things will get better.
“He’ll be fairly surgical in terms of how he does it.”
Schmidt succeeded Kiss, who constructed Ireland’s formidable defense for the 2015 Six Nations after captaining the team in an acting role in 2013.
However, Schmidt retained him in the position of assistant, and the two of them collaborated there for around two years.
“It’s an appointment we’ve been waiting for,” remarked Kiss.
“Joe knows how to get the best out of players, drawing them in from all contexts and getting them to gel together to go someplace. He brings a lot of knowledge and other success to the table.
“We’ll find some really good qualities right through the whole program, he’ll connect us all.”
Jones called Australia’s rugby system “broken” while he was leaving the Wallabies. He was then named coach of the Japanese national side.
Schmidt, who Kiss feels is the ideal guy for the job, emphasized in his first news conference how important it is to rely on the Super Rugby Pacific infrastructure.
“He’ll get around the traps and make sure we’re all connected,” stated the man.
Without a sure, he will visit us up here, meet the soldiers, and ask questions about our procedures and other things of that nature.
“He’s a very good, solid relationship builder.”