Les Kiss interested in swapping London Irish for Super Rugby move

London Irish head coach Les Kiss has expressed his interest in the vacant job at the Waratahs in Super Rugby, according to reports in Australia.

Fox Sports have claimed Kiss has contacted Rugby Australia director of rugby Scott Johnson over the top job that is open at the Waratahs.

Kiss was interim coach at Ireland at the same time that Johnson was Scotland head coach early last decade, which came after Kiss had worked as an assistant coach at the Waratahs from 2002 to 2008.

The Waratahs are set to move their search for a head coach to an advanced phase by the end of the week, ahead of having their new man in place by the end of May at the latest.

Kiss is not the only man coveted with the position with former Leicester forwards coach Phil Blake and Australia women’s sevens coach John Manenti also interested.

After concluding a wooden spoon season in Super Rugby AU, during which they sacked Rob Penney after five-straight defeats, the winless Waratahs are also seeking a new general manager after parting company with Tim Rapp.

Irish are on course to achieve a Champions Cup qualifying finish in the Premiership this season, but face stiff competition from Bath and Leicester.

As one half of the DoR-head coach tandem with Declan Kidney which took the Exiles back to the Premiership in 2019, Kiss celebrated promotion at the Richmond Athletic Ground with a 46-7 win before Irish finished tenth in their first season back in the top flight.

Penney may not be alone as the only head coach to lose his job in Super Rugby AU in recent weeks, with Dave Wessels place at the Melbourne Rebels hanging by a thread after failing to reach the knockout stages.