Les Kiss says Jordan Petaia will all the time be welcome to return to the Queensland Reds as rampaging flanker Liam Wright nears a return from back-to-back shoulder accidents.
The draw for subsequent season’s Super Rugby Pacific competitors has been launched and, in his remaining season earlier than taking the reins of the Wallabies, coach Kiss is concentrating on a top-three spot and a crack on the title.
Wright, injured throughout his Wallabies captaincy debut final July, is but to signal a contract for subsequent season.
However in an indication of his intentions, Kiss mentioned the luckless backrower was an opportunity of participating within the new Tremendous Rugby AUS competitors when it kicks off in simply over a fortnight.
Versatile and mercurial exterior again Petaia, simply 25 and with 31 Assessments to his credit score, has inked a one-year cope with Perpignan within the Top 14 competitors after chasing his NFL dream.
Petaia had signed a three-year cope with the Los Angeles Chargers earlier this 12 months however was waived and positioned on the injured reserves checklist after a hamstring damage curtailed his progress.
The Prime 14 competitors doesn’t end till Might, so the phrases of his deal would decide whether or not a Reds return subsequent 12 months is a practical possibility.
“That’s all the time on the playing cards. I solely simply came upon he’d signed for a French membership. I want him nicely,” Kiss mentioned.
“When he left (for the NFL) we mentioned ‘go and discover out’ as a result of he was ripe for it. He’s gone away and tried out and now signed (for Perpignan). All these issues are open however I’ll depart that for when it issues.”
Kiss takes over as Wallabies coach on the finish of the 2026 Tremendous Rugby season and mentioned Petaia nonetheless had quite a bit to supply Australian rugby.
“With the kind of expertise now we have there and his age profile, definitely,” he mentioned.
“That’s down the monitor. At this stage he’d have to return again by a province, the Reds hopefully if he does come again.”
Wright has endured a depraved run of accidents which have saved him to simply six Take a look at appearances.
The Reds need to lock in his future however getting Wright match match is the rapid precedence.
“Liam’s in his strategy of simply getting that shoulder proper,” Kiss mentioned.
“Perhaps on this subsequent eight weeks he’s obtainable, we don’t know but, we simply have to verify the subsequent month goes nicely, every week goes nicely after which he could also be obtainable.”
Kiss needs to have a red-hot crack at profitable the title subsequent 12 months however to take action the Reds should enhance their fifth-placed finishes prior to now two seasons the place they’ve been bundled out within the quarter-finals.
“We do consider there’s extra in us,” Kiss mentioned.
“To essentially nail an finish sport the place you management the narrative you want your house video games, so hopefully if we will get within the prime three that there can decide a whole lot of issues.”
It’s the thirtieth 12 months of Tremendous Rugby in 2026 and the Reds are away to arch-enemies the Waratahs in spherical one.
They’ll additionally host defending champions the Crusaders for the primary time since 2023.
“The rivalry there’s nice, I’ve been on each side and I’m actually trying ahead to the truth that’s how we’re going to open up the season,” Kiss, the previous Queensland rugby league winger and NSW Waratahs assistant coach, mentioned.
“The remainder of the draw is sort of cool as nicely … total, I’m fairly pleased.”
