Ireland coaching role for Les sealed with a Kiss

LES Kiss has confirmed that he will be a permanent member of Joe Schmidt’s Ireland coaching team upon completion of the summer tour to the United States and Canada.

Kiss had been appointed acting head coach for next month’s Tests in Houston and Toronto, but until yesterday’s squad announcement, his future beyond that was in question.

However, the Australian will take charge of Ireland’s defence once Leinster boss Schmidt assumes full control after the summer. “We’ve had a simple conversation and I’m very happy to be involved. I’m looking forward to working with Joe,” Kiss said. “I’ve known Joe since he came to Ireland and have worked with him before at the start of his Leinster tenure. We get on well.”

Schmidt, in the midst of successive cup finals with Leinster having won the Amlin Challenge Cup on Friday and preparing for the RaboDirect PRO12 final against Ulster this weekend, had some input into the make-up of the squad bound for North America this summer.

Ulster’s Rory Best will lead the 28-man party, having been overlooked by the British and Irish Lions.

Summer tour squad: Forwards: R Best (Ulster, capt), T Court (Ulster), D Fitzpatrick (Ulster), J Hagan (Leinster), I Henderson (Ulster), C Henry (Ulster), D Kilcoyne (Munster), M McCarthy (Connacht), K McLaughlin (Leinster), T O’Donnell (Munster), P O’Mahony (Munster), M Ross (Leinster), M Sherry (Munster), R Strauss (Leinster), D Toner (Leinster), D Tuohy (Ulster). Backs: I Boss (Leinster), D Cave (Ulster), R Henshaw (Connacht), P Jackson (Ulster), F Jones (Munster), I Madigan (Leinster), K Marmion (Connacht), P Marshall (Ulster), F McFadden (Leinster), S Olding (Ulster), A Trimble (Ulster), S Zebo (Munster).