Brian O'Driscoll's expert guide to Wallabies coaching race as Ireland legend dishes on leading contenders

HONG KONG: Brian O'Driscoll has backed Les Kiss to succeed at the Wallabies helm should he get the nod and believes Rugby Australia is spoilt for choice in choosing Joe Schmidt's coaching successor.

Ireland legend O'Driscoll is uniquely placed to run the rule over RA's coaching hunt.

One of the greatest centres in world rugby history has been coached by Kiss, Schmidt and another hopeful in a certain Michael Cheika.

Watch all the action from the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season on Stan Sport, the only place to watch every match ad free, live and on demand

O'Driscoll also knows Stuart Lancaster extremely well through their relationship at Leinster.

Former England coach Lancaster has reportedly been shortlisted by RA, who hope to make an announcement sooner rather than later.

Let's start with Kiss, who has piloted the Queensland Reds to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific standings after seven rounds.

READ MORE: 'I hate talking about it': Stuart reacts after chaotic win

READ MORE: 'Hard to watch': Joey would ban Turbo from two away trips

READ MORE: Kiwi villain turns to hero as Aussies sunk in final

"I had Les for a very successful period," global HSBC ambassador O'Driscoll told Wide World of Sports at the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.

"He was involved in our winning of our first Grand Slam in 2009. So, great memories, really good guy. And I'm sure he's developed and honed his coaching skills, and is an infinitely different coach than he was back then, even though he was a great coach.

"So, as a head coach, I'm sure there's parts to what he's built his repertoire with, that I'm not okay with, but he was a bloody good defensive coach. He understood the game well, on both sides of the ball. If he's a favourite, it'd be deserved."

Leicester Tigers coach Cheika set tongues wagging when he was spotted having coffee with RA boss Phil Waugh in Sydney - but he is not viewed as being in serious consideration for a second stint as Wallabies coach.

O'Driscoll is a massive fan of the 58-year-old and questions why.

"I'd say arguably my most influential coach, just from a timing point of view with me, with Cheik, how he changed the fortune, not just of Leinster rugby, but Irish rugby, because he got Leinster to turn a corner, totally recreated a culture," the 141-Test veteran said.

"And he kind of did a little bit of that first time around with Aussie, and I could see him doing a great job again. Sometimes when there's unfinished business, I could understand why you want to come back for a second bite of the cherry.

"I sense there'd be a better outcome with Cheik coming back a second time around than maybe Eddie (Jones)."

Lancaster, meanwhile, has rebuilt his reputation at club level after being axed as England coach following a disastrous 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign.

"I saw, actually, his name linked with it (Wallabies job). Another really good guy, great rugby brain," O'Driscoll said.

"He kind of built a huge amount of the foundation work in the multi-phase game that Leinster were playing, that Ireland brought in and incorporated, and now that he's gone from Leinster, there's been a fall-off from it because it's not being practiced.

"I think that's been very evident, and I think it's almost - not single-handedly down to him, but very much his mark that he left, and then when he was gone, there was another mark left around the work not done. So, I think he would be another great guy.

"Good thinker of the game, sees it very well, was very generous with me in his time at Leinster, around staying connected to the game, and I was super impressed with his overall understanding of oppositions and how he analysed teams.

"So, yeah, another, geez, there's three good names in the mix."

Sam Worthington travelled to the Hong Kong Sevens thanks to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Cathay Pacific and The Langham