One senses that Ulster’s new Director of Rugby Les Kiss is still in a little battle-scarred following Ireland’s heavy World Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of Argentina.
Kiss, who began his new role at the Kingspan Stadium on Monday, almost hid below a table when queried about that game in Cardiff.
“Ouch! Thanks for reminding me about that first 17 minutes,” said Kiss with a hang-dog look.
“They certainly put up a potent style of rugby. They backed a philosophy and style of rugby and it certainly worked in that game. It worked out perfect for them. It didn’t get them any further, but obviously it was their big game and unfortunately we were at the back-end of it.
“Yes, we did fight back into the game and we had our chance, but in the end it was not to be. Argentina just played so well. It was my second World Cup and each of them have been very special occasion, but obviously to go out the way we did wasn’t nice, but I couldn’t fault the boys, they were brilliant and really committed to the cause. I’ve been over seven years with the international team and it has been a great experience and once that I will treasure forever,” said Kiss who believes that there is not too much wrong with Irish rugby.
“I look back at the World Cup and its planning and even the way the players handled themselves, and I know there are really good things in place. Circumstances leading into that game didn’t help it and they were (injuries), a big hit to take on the week before the game. I think it would be wrong for anyone to be jumping to conclusions quickly or having a knee-jerk reaction around that.
“I was part of a mini-review last week and that review process will travel along for the next week or two. We are pretty common-sense about it all. You can invent things that are a problem but there are level heads there to make sure it’s channelled into the right areas. Even as Ulster coach I will still be part of process going forward if needs be. So I think it would be remiss to jump to massive conclusions.
“You don’t win back-to-back Six Nations without a lot of things being right. Things will be looked at and worked on over the next weeks. Everyone involved will get their heads around the right things. I don’t honestly think they have a lot to work on. But they will certainly look at what they work on what they have to improve on,” explained Kiss, who can’t wait to get stuck into his new role with Ulster.
“It’s been a long wait that’s for sure, but I’m very excited about being here,” said the 50-year-old former Australian Rugby League wing. “There is a real opportunity to be able to make a difference and hopefully everyone will be happy with my contribution.
“It’s going to be an exciting, it’s challenging, and after talking to all the staff and coaches we are all excited about what we can possibly do. But we need to make sure we shift in the right direction and get the results that we want.
“Initially I hope to try and set some direction and leadership here. It’s been a tough ask on the guys to have a void here. That’s the way it was designed and I have to take my hat off to all the coaches the way they have handled things here,” said Kiss, who was approached by Ulster last season and spent a few months temporarily before returning to his Ireland duties.
“The place is in good order, basically now we have to get on the ground with them now and define a few things we have to get right and do the things necessarily to get them done.
“Each week is important for us, we’ve got Europe coming up soon and before that we have the Dragons on Sunday and the way the ladder looks at the minute you cannot afford to be behind the eight-ball for too long. So for me it’s straight into it immediately.”