Edinburgh miss Kiss as new favourite emerges to replace Blair

Edinburgh has suffered a setback in their search for a new head coach, as Les Kiss, who was reportedly high on their shortlist, has allegedly signed a deal with the Queensland Reds.

RugbyPass recently revealed that the former London Irish coach was the Scottish URC side's preferred candidate, but now the former Aussie rugby league man has opted to return to Australia instead after winning the contest to replace outgoing top dog Brad Thorn.

The Edinburgh vacancy arose after Mike Blair announced his intention to step down in February and was subsequently appointed as an assistant coach to Dave Rennie at Kobe Steelers in Japan.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Kiss, who previously led London Irish until the club's recent financial collapse, has agreed to terms with Queensland and is expected to be unveiled before the end of the month. The Australian publication also reported that Steve Diamond, who was temporarily put in charge of Edinburgh as a lead rugby consultant, was interviewed for the Queensland position but ultimately lost out to Kiss, despite impressing franchise bosses.

With Kiss out of the running, another contender for the Edinburgh role, Scott Robertson's assistant coach Brad Mooar, appears to be the frontrunner. Mooar, who is already contracted to Scottish Rugby as an attack coach for the national team, was also reportedly interviewed by the Reds. A recent report in The Times indicated that Mooar and Kiss were the last two candidates for the Edinburgh position.

Mooar brings extensive experience to the table, having previously served as an assistant coach for the All Blacks and held the head coach position at the Scarlets during the 2019-20 season. His current contract with Scottish Rugby extends through the World Cup in France, where he will continue his role as an attack coach.

Defensive specialist Marius Goosen, who worked under Glasgow boss Franco Smith with Italy, has also been linked to the role.