By Adam Sheldon

The University of Queensland has appointed Jim McKay as head coach for the 2026 Hospital Cup season.

McKay brings extensive high-performance experience to UQ, having spent more than five years as an assistant coach with the Queensland Reds, alongside time in the Wallabies system as attack coach. He most recently worked as head coach of the Noosa Dolphins.

His appointment forms part of a wider leadership restructure at UQ, which finished sixth in the Hospital Cup last season. Former Wallabies hooker James Hanson has been appointed general manager, while Cameron McIntosh has returned to the club as director of rugby.

For McKay, the move to UQ came following talks with the club’s new leadership group.

“James Hanson and Cameron McIntosh are the two guys that really kind of got me there,” McKay said.

“I just see it as a really good challenge, and I also see it as a really good opportunity.”

McKay said his early assessment was that the club was navigating a “healthy tension” common in club rugby, as players balanced ambition with the realities of semi-professional sport.

“There’s some of the group that want to be ambitious and try and further their rugby careers, and you’ve got the other mix of people who are just keen to participate playing for these clubs,” he said.

“So, you’ve got that tension between the two groups. It’s quite interesting.”

A key focus for 2026, McKay said, would be improving player retention – an area UQ had traditionally performed strongly in but struggled with in recent seasons.

“For James Hanson, Cameron McIntosh and myself, we’ve been trying to work out where the club is at and what the best way forward looks like,” he said.

“We need to get back to doing what the club has done really well in that area in the past.”

McKay said he felt “privileged” to join a club with UQ’s history, and added his on-field focus would be on implementing a playing style built around enjoyment, development and an attacking mindset.

“This group hasn’t been going well for the last four years. For me, the key thing is getting the group to play in a certain way that will bring success,” he said.

“It starts with playing a style that’s really enjoyable to play and train, and then a game that people are going to enjoy watching.

McKay said his approach differed from the increasingly prescriptive styles seen across elite rugby.

“I feel really strongly about a way to play,” UQ’s head coach said.

“A lot of teams are very structured and pattern-orientated. I’m a bit different.”

Rather than making bold short-term promises, McKay said his priority was rebuilding the foundations of the club.

“We want to create a good environment where people are developing and enjoying being around the club,” he said.

“That means resuscitating some of those old-school values: camaraderie, working hard and being proud to represent a club.

“They’re lifelong skills that carry beyond rugby. There’s plenty of work to do on and off the field, but the priority is making sure we’re moving the ship in the right direction.”