No promises: Kiss puts cards on table with first Wallabies team

Les Kiss has made two points very clear at the beginning of his tenure as Wallabies coach: he wants his team to go forward and win collisions, and he wants a competitive environment for positions at all times.

This first point, ‘going forward,’ is a simple yet reiterated point, and it’s Kiss’s clearest and most stark diversion from the practices of his predecessor and old mentor, Joe Schmidt.

Schmidt preferred to set numerous rucks for smart carrying, angled running, and quick cleans to dictate front-foot ball; Kiss wants to see the Wallabies bust down the front door.

There is no doubt that these two approaches can work in tandem, but it is the clarity and repeated stance from Kiss and his assistants in this area of “going forward” which is most telling.

“We need to be direct and physical,” Kiss told reporters in Osaka.

A key part of this ethos for Kiss has evidently been the no.5 jersey or the ‘tighthead-lock’, which traditionally is the big bully in the pack or the enforcer.

Kiss has made repeated mention of the need to build depth in this specific position, and this weekend it is up to 1 cap Miles Amatosero, who will get his starting debut in Japan.

“Miles has been impressive… he’s got a job now to do,” Kiss told reporters in Osaka.

“You can see he wants to get physical… he’s got to be able to set that platform in an aggressive and disciplined way.”

“We need Miles and the tight-five to be very solid about how we set the platform, and him being the tighthead lock, that’s a big responsibility.”

Head-to-Head

Last 2 Meetings

Wins

2

Draws

0

Wins

0

Average Points scored

41

23

First try wins

100%

Home team wins

0%

The Wallabies have lacked a consistent enforcer for more than a decade, and this lack of physical and aggressive edge is something Kiss wants to address.

This push for a physical specimen in the no.5 jersey, as well as the selection of Lukhan Salakaia-Loto in the squad, could also be revealing something else; perhaps Kiss does not want to rely heavily on currently long-term-injured overseas pick Will Skelton, come World Cup time.

The 2023 Rugby World Cup was derailed for many reasons, but it was partially down to the loss of Skelton and Taniela Tupou to injury.

Losing that much experience and bulk really hurt the Wallabies’ ability to muscle up.

The repeated mention of needing to build depth, and specifically the tighthead-lock position, leads us to conclusions such as this: Kiss wants genuine big men, genuine enforcers right throughout his depth chart. 

It also reveals his legitimate intent to seek competition for spots and to require high standards.

“I never promise anyone anything… I have said it often, we need competitive pressure right throughout for every position and that’s the end goal,” Kiss said.

“They (the players) want to earn it every time; no one has a right to this (a certain) position; they want to earn it, they want to fight hard for their position.”

With only one side chosen so far, it is too soon to say whether Kiss will maintain his resolve on the claim that no one has a mortgage on a jersey.

However, things will quickly become clear in the future should players like Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii be shifted elsewhere in the backline, and whether Kiss has the steel to drop players like Max Jorgensen for underperformance or play Ryan Lonergan for 80 minutes if needed.

Before looking too far in the future, Kiss has now selected his first Wallabies team and with it comes his first opponents, Japan.

Japan have previously been a high ruck count team, but now former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has shifted the Brave Blossoms to a high kicking strategy.

This is likely why Harry Potter was retained on the wing after his stellar aerial performance in Perth last month, as well as his genuine top-end pace.

High kick numbers, a tall lineout, and lightning-quick outside backs paired with expected muggy and slippery conditions will see a lightweight Japan thrive off a messy, scrappy game.

It’s something Kiss is prepared for, especially with his assistant Jonny Fisher implementing a big focus on counterattack, but they are initially determined to get the fundamentals right.

“It was really interesting when we went through the Japanese team; there is a real emphasis that they play with (Warner) Dearns, (Harry) Hockings are very powerful for them,” Kiss said.

“I think that thrust they have through them in the middle gives their nice little halves some really good footy; their back three is very fast as well.”

“If we can manage that forward pack, that tight-five, I think we can quell that speed that they do have on the edge.”

Dearns v Amatosero, Hockings v Jeremy Williams, there are going to be tasty match-ups across the tight-five and backrow.

The spotlight will be on Amatosero and Williams, as well as starting loosehead prop Aidan Ross, likewise on the halves combos; if the tight-five do their job, then the halves must do theirs.

This is no gimme game for either side; it will be a scrappy, leg-sapping affair where a lot will be learned by both sides as well as their coaches.

A 7 pm local kick-off time unfortunately will not see the heatwave conditions dissipate enough to make for a comfortable ride for either side; expect a lot of scrums and a fair bit of mess from the Wallabies’ first game under coach Kiss and his team.