Wallabies say konnichiwa to coach Kiss with Japan Test
Melissa Woods |
Incoming Wallabies coach Les Kiss will launch his tenure against Eddie Jones’ Japan with Australia’s 14-Test schedule in 2026 unveiled.
The Queensland Reds coach will take over from current Wallabies mentor Joe Schmidt after the first matches of the newly-minted Nations Championship in July.
Kiss will be at the helm when Australia faces Japan away on August 8 at a venue to be confirmed, before playing the Brave Blossoms again in Townsville a week later.
Last month the Wallabies squared off against their former coach Jones for their first time since he oversaw their 2023 World Cup horror show, with the Australian outfit scraping to a 19-15 victory in Tokyo.
Coming off their first winless four-Test tour of Europe since 1958 and with a record 10 losses in 15 matches this year, things won’t get much easier for the Wallabies in 2026.
The 2027 World Cup hosts meet Six Nations heavyweights Ireland at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium on July 4, followed by fifth-ranked France in Brisbane a week later.
Current head coach Schmidt’s final game in charge will come against Italy on July 18 at a home venue to be confirmed.
The Wallabies fell to all of those northern hemisphere sides on their forgettable recent European spring tour.
Following the home and away series against Japan, the world No.7 side play two Tests against the Pumas in Argentina.
They host world champions South Africa at an unconfirmed venue on September 27 before home and away Bledisloe Cup Tests against New Zealand.
Australia finishes the season with November Tests in the UK against England, Scotland and Wales before the inaugural Nations Championship Finals on the last weekend of the month.
Wallabies 2026 Test schedule:
vs Ireland, Allianz Stadium, Sydney – 4 July
vs France, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane – 11 July
vs Italy, home venue TBC – 18 July
vs Japan, away venue TBC – 8 August
vs Japan, Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville – 15 August
vs Argentina, away venue TBC – 29 August
vs Argentina, away venue TBC – 5 September
vs South Africa, home venue TBC – 27 September
vs New Zealand, away venue TBC – 10 October
vs New Zealand, Accor Stadium, Sydney – 17 October
vs England, Allianz Stadium, Twickenham – 8 November
vs Scotland, Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh – 15 November
vs Wales, Principality Stadium, Cardiff – 21 November
Nations Championships Finals Weekend – weekend starting 27 November (AEDT)
AAP
