AUNZ Invitational XV coaching panel confirmed ahead of Lions clash

Rugby Australia has revealed the full coaching group for the AUNZ Invitational XV, who will face the British & Irish Lions at Adelaide Oval on July 12. Queensland Reds boss Les Kiss will take charge of the team, having been announced as the Head Coach earlier this month.

Kiss is also the Wallabies coach-in-waiting, with Rugby Australia confirming at the end of April that the former Australian rugby league international will take over from Joe Schmidt after the July internationals in 2026.

Former All Blacks coach Ian Foster, who took New Zealand to the Rugby World Cup Final against South Africa in 2023, will take part as one of the team’s assistants. Foster’s involvement was announced in March, but was confirmed to be an assistant coach on May 18.

But the rest of the AUNZ coaching panel remained a mystery until Wednesday. Western Force boss Simon Cron and Zane Hilton from the Queensland Reds will work alongside Foster as assistant coaches for this historic fixture.

Cron is from New Zealand but moved across the ditch to Australia to pursue a coaching career. After holding senior coaching positions in Australia and Japan, Cron led the Force in Super Rugby Pacific during the 2023 season and beyond.

Hilton boasts an impressive rugby coaching CV which includes stints in Italy, Japan, Samoa and Tonga. After working with the Queensland Rugby Union more than 20 years ago, Hilton returned to Ballymore in 2024 to link up with Kiss as an assistant coach.

Rugby Australia’s Director of High Performance, Peter Horne, is looking forward to this historic and unique fixture at Adelaide’s famed cricket and AFL oval.

“We are excited to assemble an experienced coaching panel of Australian and New Zealand leaders under Les Kiss for what promises to be a thrilling game between the AUNZ Invitational XV and the Lions,” Horne said in a statement.

“This will be the first time a combined Australian and New Zealand has taken the field since 1989 and the strength of this coaching staff is befitting such an occasion.

“For Les, the opportunity to coach against the British and Irish Lions twice on this tour will no doubt prove a unique and beneficial experience and add to his outstanding international coaching resume which has included senior roles with the Springboks and Ireland ahead of his transition to the Wallabies’ Head Coach position next year.

“Ian Foster will no doubt provide a wealth of knowledge and experience to Les and the squad, having served as Attack Coach for the All Blacks during the Lions’ tour of New Zealand in 2017 among his many other international accomplishments.

“Les and Ian will be joined by two outstanding leaders from within the Australian High Performance system, Simon Cron and Zane Hilton, who will add tremendous insight and energy to the AUNZ Invitational XV squad for a match against the Lions in Adelaide that will be one of the highlights of the global rugby calendar this year.”