PNC : les Fidji victorieux des Samoa

I disagree about the RWC. As it turned out Ireland could have fielded a few subs v Scotland and still won. They still had the game to beat NZ in the QF.

I have now known of and followed Les Kiss’s progress for some 31 years. We had moved from Charters Towers, RL town, down to Bundaberg, also RL town. I took up supply teaching then, and began to spend a lot of time at the old and venerable Bundaberg State High, and on the wall of the school hall was this photo of Les Kiss, only boy from this old RL school to have played Origin and for Australia. I also met and worked with his Phys. Ed. teacher brother at another Bundaberg school.

Les retired from League in 1993, and I was intrigued when in 2001, it was announced he was switching to Union as a defence coach with the Boks. I was even more interested when he moved to my native Ireland in 2009, and under Declan Kidney, was part of the Grand Slam winning coaching team. Then he moved up to Ulster. I was born there, and had great hopes of Ulster rising to be a leading province, often “creaming” Leinster” which it was when I left Ireland in 1980. It was not to be.

Ulster is a funny old place, with some very difficult people to get on with. Les Kiss found this out I would think, and his time there was not that happy. I just feel he came into an environment there on the slide, one going back to moving Ulster coach Brian McLoughlin out, saying “We are moving on to the next level…..never happened under any coach.

His time at London Irish was, I thought, pretty successful against the backdrop of the resources he had, and a club that was headed for financial failure. I certainly felt when he came to Qld. it was going to be a step up, and it was. Until the playoff collapse against the Chiefs last year. Up to then he was my first choice to take over the WB’s job. Now I’m less sure, but will support him, as the die is cast.

But you can start weighing strengths and weaknesses with rose-tinted specs if deep down you believe you’re better than the oppo. That’s when you start missing things.

I doubt those at Leinster really believed Saints could hurt them as badly as they did.

Any inside word on the assistant coaches? I believe Fisher is moving on

Les would certainly be in a better position if the Reds win SRP this year - at least it will give supporters something to bite on!