Kiss makes solid start as coach as Wallabies turn focus to Argentina
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Six Nations Championship - England Training - Pennyhill Park Hotel, Bagshot, Britain - February 20, 2019 England head coach Eddie Jones with London Irish head coach Les Kiss during training Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra/File Photo
MELBOURNE, Aug 17 : Les Kiss has ticked the first box of his Australia coaching tenure with a two-test sweep of Japan while setting a solid platform for a bigger challenge when the Wallabies tour Argentina next week.
Australia followed a nervous 35-32 victory in Osaka with a more convincing 56-17 win in Townsville over the weekend to give home fans hope that the Wallabies are on the right trajectory a year out from hosting the World Cup.
Kiss waited long to get his hands on the team while his former boss Joe Schmidt finished up his contract but the new coach has wasted no time in making his mark.
Having seen the Wallabies chance their arm too much in Osaka, he made a raft of changes for Townsville and demanded they be more direct in attack.
Encouragingly, the players responded, racking up eight tries, including six via their forwards, despite an occasionally sloppy first half.
Schmidt was reluctant to tinker with the Wallabies' back row of Rob Valetini, Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight if he could help it, but Kiss has already shown a willingness to shake things up.
Carlo Tizzano and McReight offered a dual poaching threat late in the Townsville game against Japan, reviving memories of Michael Cheika's 'Pooper' combination of Michael Hooper and David Pocock which carried the Wallabies to the 2015 World Cup final.
With Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii injured, Isaac Henry joined Hunter Paisami in the midfield and the duo created headaches for Eddie Jones' Japan with their running lines.
How Suaalii — Rugby Australia's A$5 million man — fits in Kiss' midfield setup when Len Ikitau returns from injury is yet to be seen.
But Kiss values his versatility.
"I've talked often about the need for competitive pressure in all our positions. It's great to see that," he told reporters after Townsville.
"What we saw from Su (Suaalii) last week is he's prepared to move from the centres to the wing as well. He's also prepared to move from the centres to 15 if we need to.
"I think we've got some real good traction in that area."
Kiss has also settled Australia's nagging flyhalf question, with Carter Gordon picking up where he left off in the number 10 shirt since his untimely injury against Ireland.
Kiss will hope Gordon's injury battles are behind him as the Wallabies look to handle the step-up in class against Argentina starting in Jujuy on August 29.
