Les Kiss will take charge of the Australia-New Zealand Invitational team, which will face the British & Irish Lions in Adelaide, one week before the first Test against the Wallabies. This appointment comes after the confirmation of Ian Foster as part of the coaching staff.
The confirmation of Kiss as coach of the AU-NZ team was anticipated before his appointment as Wallabies coach. The official announcement was made on Monday afternoon, along with the news that Wallabies legend Toutai Kefu will coach the Indigenous-Pacific Islands team, which will face the tourists between the first and second Tests.
Kiss and Foster will work on selecting a squad of around 25 players, which could include All Blacks Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith and Brodie Retallick, and Wallabies Matt Phillip and Samu Kerevi, as well as other Australian players who could be in the orbit of Joe Schmidt’s team.
It’s a privilege to lead the technical group for the AUNX Invitational XV. The British & Irish Lions are one of the most renowned teams in world sport and to be able to play against them in an iconic Australian venue like the Adelaide Oval will be an incredible spectacle. I’m looking forward to working with a coach like Ian, who has extensive experience at the highest level of the game, and joining the management at the time.
Les Kiss
Kiss will have two opportunities to coach against the Lions, as the Reds will face Andy Farrell’s team in the second match of their tour.
Kefu, for his part, will have various options, with indigenous players such as Kurtley Beale, Andy Muirhead and Harrison Goddard. Leafi Talataina, Feao Fotuaika and Sef Fa’agase will also be considered. Kefu could reinforce his team by looking for talent in the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika franchises.
I am honored to be named coach of the inaugural First Nations & Pasifika XV. First Nations and Pacific peoples contribute massively to the game worldwide and the importance of this match in celebrating those ongoing contributions, especially against a team with the history of the British & Irish Lions, cannot be overstated. I am looking forward to coming together as a group in July and representing our people with a strong performance at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne.
Toutai Kefu
Originally, the Lions were scheduled to face the Melbourne Rebels after the first Test in Perth, but following the dissolution of the franchise due to financial problems, an alternative had to be sought.
Recently, RA has honored the Indigenous contribution to the game in Australia by introducing an Indigenous Wallabies jersey, but the combined concept is the first of its kind for the game.
