Sean Maloney: Les Kiss' unlikely two decade journey to Wallabies coach as playoff race heats up

Great to be back again with your weekly hit from around the grounds.

It's been an injury enforced lay-off the last fortnight - a heavy, heavy hit of man flu coupled with a poorly timed gout flare-up brought me undone.

I'm told by my family that it's "too bad," both are entirely self-inflicted and I've got to get on with it. Here we go then. There's been plenty playing out in rugby across the globe.

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FROM TEE RUNNER TO TOP JOB

I was stoked to see Les Kiss get the nod as Wallabies coach last week.

I'm a firm believer in appointing the best person for the job, whoever they are, from wherever they come from.

That he's an Aussie, with a league and union background who happens to be a media savvy top bloke is just a bonus.

It's also worth noting just how long he's been in and around the game.

We reviewed a classic Waratahs vs Brumbies match from 2004 on Between Two Posts Extra with Matt Burke and Morgan Turinui last week.

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Just before landing a crucial conversion, Burkey said: 'look, here comes the Queensland coach.'

Sure enough, out ran Kiss, then a Waratahs assistant, with Burkey's kicking tee.

He offered him a few words, the sharp-shooter nailed the kick, then Kiss ran off with a few more messages from the coaches.

Same energy, same passion for success.

When you consider it's been over two decades of time in the saddle at the top level, at all levels for Kiss, it's irrefutable he's earned his shot.

He's a good man and I hope he has plenty of success from 2026 onwards.

GIO GOES OFF

You'd have to think Kiss and incumbent boss Joe Schmidt would have loved what they saw through the first half from both the Brumbies and Waratahs on Saturday night.

Many thought the slippery surface and ice-cold conditions would lead to a slow, set-piece dominated match-up, similar to their clash in Sydney earlier this year.

But this was wild from the outset. The pace was electric, the hits had some real venom to them and a lot of the collisions looked personal.

The Brumbies backline had a night to remember, and it was also great seeing Brumbies flyhalf Noah Lolesio challenging the line with countless charges into contact.

It's been a tricky season for Lolesio due in large part to the late, high shot he copped against the Drua in week one.

I've heard he was a mess for a long while after the game.

That kind of knock would dent anyone's confidence so it's terrific to see it rediscovered.

Tom Wright also made a timely reminder around why he is the incumbent Wallabies fullback, playing a huge hand in their big win.

NEW PODCAST! Inside Line break down the appointment of Les Kiss as Wallabies coach following a handover from Joe Schmidt

PLAYOFF PICTURE HEATING UP

There's a bit to unpack from the weekend's results and there have been some seismic shifts on the ladder. Here's the lay in simple terms.

The Brumbies are within a win of top spot on the ladder.

The Reds' bonus point loss in Fiji sees them stay in fourth but they will be kicking themselves after being in front with a minute to play, only to lose a lineout on halfway, then the game.

The Force have dropped out of the top six for the first time this year despite Harry Potter's heroics at Eden Park.

Sky Sport NZ commentators Tony Johnson, Stephen Donald and Jeff Wilson heaped huge amounts of praise on the Perth-based winger.

They are now two points away from a finals spot.

The Waratahs now find themselves three points back from a playoff berth and return to Sydney where they are unbeaten for this week's clash against Queensland.

But the team who blew the race wide open on the weekend was Moana Pasifika who rolled the Highlanders for the first time.

Ardie Savea was simply extraordinary in the win and whatever he's fuelling up with, I'll take all of it.

He scored a crucial try, made numerous turnovers and line breaks and was just at another level.

WALLAROOS OFF TO A WINNING START

The Wallaroos were woefully off the pace in their season opener last year but what a difference 12 months has made for coach Jo Yapp and her women.

Faced with the difficult assignment of travelling to Suva to play Fiji in hot and tricky conditions, the Wallaroos were excellent from the 10th minute on, running in 43 unanswered points.

'BB' Terita, Australia's star of the 2022 Rugby World Cup, got the scoreboard ticking and it was all the green and gold from there on.

World champions New Zealand at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle are the next assignment for our girls.

AUSSIES AWESOME ABROAD

They're down to two in the Champions Cup and there'll be five Aussies who will feature in the highly anticipated European decider.

Northampton Saints stunned Leinster in Dublin thanks to the performances of former Wallaby and Rebel Josh Kemeny, ex-Waratahs winger James Ramm and former Reds bruiser Angus Scott-Young.

Kemeny and Scott-Young are newer additions to the Saints roster but Ramm has been killing it up there for a few seasons now.

Bordeaux will be their opponents in the finale where former Wallabies Pete Samu and Adam Coleman will be waiting.

Samu had a huge game in their semi-final win against Toulouse and bagged a try in their upset victory.

A BIRD, A REF AND A WALLABY WALK INTO A ROOM

The Aussie rugby 'lunch season' looks to have officially commenced with a number popping up across the country last week.

Hours will be lost, stories will be told and unnecessary auction items will be purchased over the next few months with the Lions landing soon as well.

I dipped the toes in with the Lane Cove juniors last Friday where they had Super Rugby Women's champion Tatum Bird, ex-Scotland international Dan Parks, Wallabies gun Max Jorgensen and leading referee Angus Gardner all in the room.

They were all excellent and gave terrific insight at the fundraiser.

Bird is now a fully qualified lawyer and mixes time in the office doing lawyer-type things while also winning titles with the Tahs.

'Parksy' is commentating Shute Shield with Stan Sport and is of the belief the competition is about as open as it could be.

He's also tipping a 2-1 series win to the British and Irish Lions which is all good given he played 67 times with Scotland.

Gardner looks set for a long career in retirement as a dinner speaker, he was terrific and singled out James Slipper as one of the best to go back and forth with out in the middle.

Lastly, and crucially, Jorgensen suggested he would be back from injury in around a month which was welcome news for all the NSW and Wallabies fans in the room.

OK, I'm off to chug a litre of apple cider vinegar and eat a handful of celery tablets. Gout be damned.

See you all on Between Two Posts tonight with Morgan Turinui and special guest James Horwill.