Joe Schmidt says incoming Australia boss Les Kiss will have a strong voice in selection ahead of the July Test schedule, before he steps away as head coach.
With the Wallabies set to host Ireland, France and Italy, Schmidt confirmed that Kiss will be closely involved before officially taking over as Australia coach in preparation for the 2027 Rugby World Cup on home soil.
“I’ll definitely involve Les in anything selection-wise,” Schmidt said. “It’s very much a collective, and on the back of that I’ll run things past Les and there’s a little bit of influence he can have.”
The pair, who previously worked together with Ireland, have already begun the transition process, recently meeting in Brisbane as Schmidt assessed the player pool.
While Schmidt remains in charge for the July window, Kiss will observe preparations before assuming control of the Wallabies after the Nations Championship matches.
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Australia will then face home and away fixtures against Japan, a double-header away to Argentina, before returning home for a clash against the Springboks at the Optus Stadium in Perth in late September.
Schmidt took over from Eddie Jones following the Wallabies’ disastrous 2023 World Cup campaign but is stepping away from the role for family reasons.
Under his guidance, the Wallabies pushed the British & Irish Lions all the way and recorded notable wins against the Springboks at Ellis Park and also Argentina, before their season fell away badly. Australia ended with a 5-10 win-loss record in 2025.
Schmidt also addressed key selection debates, including the future of flyhalf Tom Lynagh, who has struggled with injuries but remains highly rated.
“He’s going to need some sort of game time, but it doesn’t have to be a whole heap,” Schmidt said.
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