".......The argument is made by some in the Queensland Rugby Union, though not for attribution, that the Reds might as well stick with Richard Graham as Super Rugby head coach next year because no other quality candidate is available.
Matt O’Connor, John Mulvihill and Nick Stiles would suggest that’s not the case. And who knows how many of the unannounced candidates as well. Seemingly, the candidates don’t have long to wait for an answer, with QRU sources indicating the position is likely to be filled by the middle of next week although the selection committee may have to move quickly because none of the leading applicants have yet been interviewed for the job.
Since quitting the Brumbies in 2008, O’Connor has been coaching in Europe, taking Leinster and Leicester to five trophy finals in total as part of an overall career winning record of 70 per cent, spread across 250 games. He returned to Australia for his children’s education but in his final year at Leinster he put 25 players into Ireland’s World Cup squad. Ireland presently is placed third in the world, two places higher than Australia. Japan-based Mulvihill, the former Western Force assistant coach under John Mitchell, and Stiles, who is currently the Reds forwards coach and Brisbane City head coach, are all highly regarded, while Matt Taylor, Ewen McKenzie’s assistant before becoming Scotland defence coach, was known to be interested but is believed to have dropped out of the race because the process was taking so long.
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Quade Cooper is listed as a Brisbane City player, as is Will Genia and James Horwill, but is unlikely to play more than a game or two if he is included in the World Cup side. Either way, strong indications are that he now will head to Toulon and will not be a part of the sevens program."
