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How Kiss can show his Wallabies worth with injured Reds
By AAP
Les Kiss already has the Wallabies job, but he can show why in a crucial three-game away stretch for the Queensland Reds that carries huge Super Rugby Pacific title implications.
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The injury-hit squad play Fijian Drua in Suva on Saturday, followed by road trips to Sydney and Canberra to face their Australian rivals.
A top-four finish comes with a home quarter-final, while a top-two finish – and potentially a home run all the way to the title – is the desirable but unlikely outcome given the Crusaders and Chiefs are 10 points clear of Kiss’s side in equal first.
Currently fourth, two points behind the ACT Brumbies but with a game in hand, the Reds have a five-point buffer on the fifth-placed Hurricanes, who the Reds host in the penultimate round.
Kiss was confirmed as the next Wallabies coach on Wednesday, set to replace Joe Schmidt at the conclusion of next year’s Super Rugby season.
He has got the Reds to this point despite a revolving door in his medical room, in which seven capped Wallabies currently reside.
Liam Wright (shoulder), Matt Faessler (hamstring) and Josh Flook (hamstring) are all unlikely to play again this season, although utility back Filipo Daugunu and inspirational No.8 and Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson are due to return before finals.
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“We all do, absolutely,” Queensland Rugby Union chief executive David Hanham said of the desire to win a title before Kiss departs.
“I’d love to see Harry back, Filipo back. They’re critical to a finals campaign, but … I reckon we’re in a strong position.
“Previous seasons, let’s be honest, we would have struggled with that lack of depth and closing out games.
“One of Les’s philosophies right at the beginning was closing the gap (between the club’s academy and top-end talent).
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“Tim Ryan’s an example, Dre Pakeho and Massimo De Lutiis this year… there’s a whole list.
“That’s starting to show, because we’ve needed it with the attrition of players.”
Kiss has strategically opted to bench in-form flyhalf Tom Lynagh and place his faith in Harry McLaughlin-Phillips in Suva. He will also rotate his tight five and bring in locks Ryan Smith and Angus Blyth to start.
“It’s a tricky game (the Drua) for every team … also a challenge the week after, but Les hasn’t let those matters get into the heads of players,” Hanham said.
“They know what they need to do.
“There’s a level of confidence and stability.
“(We were) playing against All Blacks (in the Blues team last week) and we weren’t talking about the differential in their skill versus ours.
“It’s a bit like what the Crusaders did – no matter who left, someone comes in and you go, ‘Oh geez, I didn’t realise he was so good’.
“And that’s credit to Les and his staff.”
