FORMER IRELAND defence coach Les Kiss has been appointed head coach of the Queensland Reds.
Kiss has signed a three-year deal at the Super Rugby side.
The Australian was Ireland’s defence coach from 2008-2015, during which time the team won three Six Nations titles (2009, 2014, 2015) and a Grand Slam (2009).
Kiss returns to his home-state after five years as head coach at London Irish, where he oversaw their promotion from the English Championship to the Premiership. The 58-year-old guided the Exiles to a fifth-place finish in 2023 – their best season in 15 years.
“Queensland Rugby has a proud history of 140 years and I am honoured to soon be a part of that as I begin this next chapter of my coaching career at the Reds,” Kiss said.
“It was an attractive option. The opportunity to return home to Queensland and coach at a successful club in a new world-class facility at Ballymore was something which appealed to me greatly.
“I am committed to building on these strong foundations to help the Reds achieve their full potential in Super Rugby,” said Kiss.
Before his work with Ireland, Kiss spent six years as an assistant coach at the Waratahs when New South Wales were Grand Finalists in 2005 and 2008, and semi-finalists in 2006 – a placing he replicated 10 years later at Ulster in the Pro14 while he was director of rugby with the province for three years.
