Les Kiss says Michael Cheika’s Waratahs are on the verge of a special era

THE man who masterminded Australia’s 2011 World Cup demise believes Michael Cheika can unlock a period of Waratahs dominance.

Les Kiss, former Kangaroo and NSW Waratahs defence coach and current Ireland assistant coach, is back in Australia. pic. Phil Hillyard

THE former Kangaroo who masterminded Australia’s demise at the 2011 Rugby World Cup says the new-look ­Wallabies are “scary”.

He also believes Michael Cheika can unlock a period of Waratahs dominance with a first Super Rugby title.

Former rugby league winger Les Kiss, who has forged a respected career as a rugby defence coach over the past two decades for South Africa, the Waratahs and now Ireland, delivered his insights while on a short break back home.

Few have as many angles as Kiss on Australian rugby.

He coached with Ewen McKenzie at NSW, worked with Cheika when he was at Leinster and — most famously — shamrocked the Wallabies’ 2011 World Cup plans with the “choke tackle”.

Spotting that Australia’s ball runners were too upright, Kiss instructed the Irish players to gang tackle and hunt for turnovers by keeping the ­Wallabies off the ground.

It worked repeatedly. Along with a plan to harass Will Genia and Quade Cooper, the Irish toppled Australia and put them in the same side of the draw as the All Blacks.

“Yeah, I cop a bit of stick about the choke tackle, but that stuff can work for teams, I guess, if you get it right on the night,” Kiss said.

His impression of his former outfit the Waratahs, who he helped reach two finals between 2002-08, is just as flattering as his Wallabies assessment after watching NSW thump the Brumbies at ANZ Stadium last weekend.

Armed with the “ridiculously good” Israel Folau, an industrious pack and intelligent halves, Kiss believes the Waratahs are on the verge of something special.

“From the outside looking in, you’d have to say if they live up to their potential, there’s every chance they can be in a position to win this,” Kiss said.

“Even if they don’t quite nail it perfectly, I think they’ve got the tools and enough in their game to tough it out and get a result.”

Kiss moved to Ireland when Cheika was still at the helm of Leinster, and sees similarities with his work in Sydney.

“Munster had forged the way, but Leinster was the capital city (Dublin) and there was expectation of success being the big city, and they’d never had it,” Kiss said.

“He got them over the line in terms of winning their first major trophy, the Heineken Cup (in 2008-09), and the boys at Leinster have done well since and nailed a couple more trophies. He was pretty essential in the make-up of Leinster. They’ve been fantastic for the last seven years.”

Cheika had moved on, but Leinster went on to win back-to-back European titles in 2010-11 and 2011-12.

Kiss sees the same potential in NSW, where a maiden Super Rugby win could free up the franchise of crippling expectation and see more titles.

“It certainly does help when you get over that hump, when you get the big one,” Kiss said.

“The psychology of it is ­immense. It is immense internally, which the most important part, but it does create belief systems outside the group as well. Referees think “these guys are the best” and calls go your way. You create a belief system in the market place with your fans and the media.”

And the Wallabies?

Despite early trouble, Kiss noticed McKenzie was building a “sleeping giant” last year and Ireland copped the awakening when the Wallabies thumped them in Dublin 32-15.

“You looked at their analysis and what they were trying to achieve, and you could see the clues there,” Kiss said.

“He has broadened his base of key people. He is not over-reliant on Cooper and Genia.

“Go back to the World Cup, we knew we could strangle the life out of their game if we got those things right. The loss of (David) Pocock was a big thing there, but (Michael) Hooper is some player as well.

“The scrum, they’ve done some nice things there, they’ve got some depth and then throw in the X-factor of Folau; and particularly the way they use him intelligently.

“No doubt they are on the improve, and it will be a massive challenge when we play them in November.

“They are scary, I must say, the Wallabies at the moment.”