Kiss appointed Reds coach through to 2026

The Reds have appointed former London Irish boss Les Kiss as head coach on a three-year deal through to 2026, the Australian Super Rugby team said on Thursday.

At London Irish since 2018, Kiss was left looking for a new job after the debt-ridden Exiles were thrown out of the English Premiership last month for failing to pay their players and prove they had a financially viable future.

The 58-year-old Queenslander replaces Brad Thorn, who stepped down at the end of the Super Rugby Pacific season after six years in charge.

.@Reds_Rugby have appointed Les Kiss as the club's head coach through to 2026 ??#SuperRugbyPacific pic.twitter.com/ryK8AE8C33

— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) July 20, 2023

"It was an attractive option. The opportunity to return home to Queensland and coach at a successful club in a new world-class facility at Ballymore was something which appealed to me greatly," Kiss said in a statement.

"The Reds have an exciting roster which I am really looking forward to working with."

A former assistant coach at Ireland under Declan Kidney and Joe Schmidt, Kiss will take charge of a Reds side coming off a poor 2023.

They finished eighth in 12-team Super Rugby Pacific, knocked out of the quarterfinals after barely scraping into the playoffs with a 5-9 losing record.

The Reds will hope Kiss can turn around the Reds' fortunes after helping London Irish place fifth in their final season, their best finish since 2009.