Phil Waugh interview: Rugby boss on the candidates to replace Joe Schmidt as Wallabies coach

Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh has laid out the plan to replace Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt – with two leading candidates emerging amid Waugh’s non-negotiables and the deadline to land Schmidt’s successor.

The Wallabies coaching job appears to be a shootout between Les Kiss and Dan McKellar, as Rugby Australia prepares to name a successor to Joe Schmidt in the next few weeks.

Sources told this masthead that Kiss and McKellar are the top contenders for the role, after Schmidt announced he was stepping down at the end of The Rugby Championship in October, but RA will assess overseas options.

RA chief executive Phil Waugh confirmed that they want to announce a new coach early in the Super Rugby season, that the preference is for the Wallabies assistant coaches to remain in place for continuity, and that if the new head coach is indeed chosen from a Super team they’ll work closely on ensuring an adequate replacement is found.

Joe Schmidt is standing down as head coach of the Wallabies. But plans are in place to find his replacement. Picture: Getty

RA had anticipated that Schmidt would not remain head coach through to the 2027 World Cup due to his family situation, and have been strategising in the background for months without holding talks with candidates.

“I think that we would ideally finalise a head coaching position fairly early on in the Super Rugby campaign,” Waugh said.

“Continuity is really important for us. So we certainly don’t consider this a fresh start. I think that we’re building cohesion and connection and alignment right across the high performance structures within Australian rugby.

“So it certainly won’t be a fresh start. It’s a building on all the platforms that we’ve been leaning into so deliberately over the last 12 to 15 months.

“Now it’s around actually getting to an outcome on who we think will be the best head coach to continue that growth and continue that momentum that we’ve built over the last period of time.”

Les Kiss is a leading contender. Picture: Getty

Dan McKellar is also strongly considered. Picture: Getty

Former Wallabies coaches Michael Cheika and Dave Rennie, along with former England coach Stuart Lancaster, La Rochelle head coach Ronan O’Gara, and former All Blacks assistant Leon MacDonald have been linked to the job, and RA will talk to all applicants.

Kiss is contracted to Queensland Reds through to the end of 2026, while McKellar is signed with NSW Waratahs until the end of 2027.

“If we got to an outcome or a preferred candidate that was going to impact one of our Super Rugby clubs, we would work hand in glove with the Super Rugby club to ensure that we’ve got the best coaches and the best structure to support the game,” Waugh said.

“It’s not just about a Wallaby environment.

“It’s about ensuring that we’ve got the depth and pathways through to continue success of rugby across those provinces.”

Schmidt is keen to remain an adviser for the new Wallabies coach and that is likely to play out.

The 59-year-old has a son in New Zealand who has epilepsy and requires constant medical care, making it difficult for Schmidt – known for his relentless work ethic – to balance his professional and personal lives across two countries.

If he remains a Wallabies coaching adviser he would not travel with the team.

“We obviously explored every possible option, and Joe’s a great human being who’s done a wonderful job with Australian rugby,” Waugh said.

“First and foremost, we need to ensure that he’s well supported to support his own family. So that’s always been a priority of ours.

“We’ve been very, very respectful of his situation, as I think everyone should be right across all our employees. Ensuring that we’re looking after our people and respecting their family situation is absolutely paramount to me as a leader.

“Getting him for the TRC is a really good outcome for Australian rugby, and we’ll ensure that we’re putting the right people in the right roles to continue through the 27 World Cup.”

Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh wants to have Schmidt’s replacement locked in early in the Super Rugby season. Picture: Getty

Negotiations will now begin with the few candidates on RA’s short-list.

“We’ve narrowed that list down to be reasonably targeted,” Waugh said.

“I’m not going to give you the exact number, because that number may change. But it’s certainly very targeted.

“I’ve been pretty transparent around the fact that we’ve been continuously planning, given that Joe’s contract was only through to the British & Irish Lions.

“We’ve been planning and doing all our due diligence across coaches right around the world to ensure that we get a world-class head coach to lead the Wallabies forward.

“We continue to do what we say we’re going to do, and the integrity of what we’re doing is really important to us.”

Originally published as Phil Waugh interview: Rugby boss on the candidates to replace Joe Schmidt as Wallabies coach