Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Why the Wallabies will be ‘a-okay’ despite 67-year low
Nicholas Quinlan • November 28th, 2025 9:20 pm
Stan Sport’s Sean Moloney believes that the Wallabies need to make incoming coach Les Kiss more involved in the side’s set-up in time for when he begins the role midway through 2026.
With the decision being made in April this year that the former North Sydney Bears player would take over from existing coach Joe Schmidt in July 2026, there has been speculation about how the transition between the two would take place.
And with the Wallabies having suffered a disastrous Spring Tour, which saw them go winless in Europe for the first time since 1958, this has created additional pressure on the situation.
Reflecting on the latest results, which included defeats against Ireland and France, the commentator admitted he thought that some of the issues with the side had been resolved.
But Maloney is not too concerned, believing that it can be resolved ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, which will be held in Australia.
Pirongia Rugby & Sports Club wins the Field of Dreams competition | Sport Nation
"They lost six of their own throws (in lineouts) against Ireland, which you cannot win Test matches when you give up that much possession," Maloney said on SEN 1170’s Afternoons.
“I thought the gremlins would have been put to bed and iced.
“And there they were bouncing their head up again out at Stade de France on the weekend.
“So yeah, they can be tweaked, and they have a new lineout coach as well, so maybe a bit of bedding in on that front.
“Two years from now, they’ll be a-okay, which is kind of my mindset. A lot of other Wallabies fans off the back of this year (think) that with another two years of this squad being together.
“And then the introduction of Les Kiss next year, as Joe Schmidt hands it over, we should be okay.”
With Schmidt having only three more Tests to coach before the current Queensland Reds coach takes over the job, this gives the 60-year-old just over a year to prepare for a home World Cup.
And this has been noted by Maloney, who admitted he would have liked to have seen Kiss more involved with the side across the Spring Tour and hopes he will be after his commitment with the Reds concludes following the end of the next Super Rugby season.
“I would like to see him in there earlier,” he explained.
“I would have liked to see him in there for every single one of those games across that Spring Tour.
“I would love to have seen Les Kiss more ingratiated into that Wallabies’ set-up because the runway (for the World Cup) is going to be really short.
“I’m an unabashed fan of Joe Schmidt. I love the man, but Joe will be there through to the end of July, which is a really short runway for Kissy to get them playing the way he wants to for the Rugby Championship next year.
“So, I’m hoping behind the scenes there’s a little bit more going on than what we are seeing and hearing and that there actually is a little bit of a hand off as we go through 2026.”
The Wallabies’ next match won’t be until July 4, when they host Ireland at Allianz Stadium in Sydney as part of their first match of their inaugural match of the National Championships.
But before then, they’ll learn who they play in the 2027 Rugby World Cup next Wednesday with the Group Stage draw set to take place in Sydney.
Staffy's retro jersey is worth HOW MUCH?! | Sport Nation Afternoons
