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Rugby Australia has responded to its review of a terrible 2018 season for the Wallabies by revamping its structure but keeping Michael Cheika as coach.
The review came after a dreadful year for the Wallabies, where the national side lost nine of its 13 Tests — their worst season since 1958 — including a 3-0 Bledisloe Cup sweep by the All Blacks, and defeats to Wales and England on the year-ending overseas tour.
Scottish director of rugby — and former Wallabies assistant for the 2007 Rugby World Cup — Scott Johnson, is being hired for a similar position above Cheika in the Rugby Australia hierarchy.
The two men will be joined by a third independent selector to form a new selection panel for the Wallabies.
Johnson will remain with Scotland until the end of the Six Nations campaign in March 2019, however Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle said she expected Johnson and Cheika to start talking immediately.
Castle announced the changes at a press conference on Monday, along with a realignment with the four Australian Super Rugby teams to agree on a national high-performance model.
She said Rugby Australia was seeking to replicate the structures in place in countries which have had recent success like Ireland and New Zealand.
"Scott Johnson has built a strong reputation in the international rugby landscape over more than decade, and since taking over as director of rugby in Scotland, the national team has climbed to its highest ever world ranking of fifth," Castle said.
"Scott has previous experience within the Wallabies coaching environment and in this new role will assume responsibility for the management of the Wallabies' off-field program to allow Michael Cheika to focus on what he does best, which is coaching the team.
"We are confident Michael is the right man to lead the Wallabies to the World Cup, and the appointment of Scott Johnson will support Michael and his coaching team as they prepare for the tournament in Japan next September.
"It has been a tough year for all who love rugby, and this is an important step in building a strong, successful and sustainable future for Australian Rugby and getting the Wallabies back to where they belong."
Castle said Cheika had made recommendations in his review of the year which would be decided in consultation with Johnson.
She said there was no confirmation of the futures of Wallabies assistants such as Stephen Larkham and Nathan Grey — Cheika and Johnson would work out the makeup of the coaching panel for 2019.
Topics: sport, rugby-union, rugby-union-world-cup, sydney-2000, nsw, australia