Japan vs Wallabies: Can Les Kiss finally turn the Wallabies around? - Steve Hansen

Les Kiss begins his Wallabies tenure against Eddie Jones and Japan in the heat of Osaka, but Steve Hansen says Australia’s biggest problems go far deeper than whoever sits in the coach’s box. David Pembroke and Steve discuss the pressure of coaching your own country, why a succession of highly credentialled Wallabies coaches have struggled to produce winning records and whether Australian rugby’s real weakness lies in its structures, pathways and ability to retain young talent. They then break down the Wallabies and Japan selections, the tactical challenge posed by Osaka’s heat and humidity, and whether Australia should overpower Japan first before trying to play expansively. The Third Voice also takes the conversation back through some of rugby’s greatest tours, including the 1970 All Blacks series in South Africa and the divisive 1981 Springbok tour of New Zealand.

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In this episode:
00:00 🇦🇺 Steve Hansen remembers the pressure of coaching your country for the first time
03:00 🧠 Why Les Kiss faces more than just a coaching challenge
05:00 🏗️ Is Australian rugby’s real problem the system rather than the coach?
07:00 ✈️ Losing young Australian talent overseas and why it matters
10:00 🦘 Wallabies selections for Les Kiss’ first Test in charge
12:00 🇯🇵 Eddie Jones’ Japan selections and the Harry Hockings call
14:00 ☀️ Osaka heat, humidity and the tactical battle between Japan and Australia
17:00 📻 Steve Hansen remembers the All Blacks’ great South African tours
19:00 🚌 Did the Greatest Rivalry tour need even more provincial matches?
21:00 🌍 The 1981 Springbok tour, the flour bomb Test and rugby’s role in social change

Call to action:
📌 Can Les Kiss change the Wallabies — or does Australian rugby need to fix the system first?

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