Wallaby players may have role in choosing new coach

AUSTRALIA’S top players may be given a role in choosing who replaces Eddie Jones as Wallabies coach but a decision is not expected until next year.

Tue, 06 Dec, 2005 - 00:00

Jim Cook, Sydney

The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) has drawn up a shortlist of candidates to fill the job after Jones was sacked last week but the players want an input into the final decision.

Australia’s former World Cup-winning coach Rod Macqueen and the ARU’s general manager of the high performance unit, Peter Davis, have been asked to make a recommendation to the ARU board. A third member will be appointed this week.

The chief executive of Australia’s Rugby Union Players’ Association, Tony Dempsey, wants senior players to have some input into the appointment by consulting with the ARU, and ARU chief executive Gary Flowers said he would support the plan.

“The senior players would have some valuable opinions that need to be garnered about the potential candidates,” Dempsey said.

“They may have first-hand experiences and insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the candidates. I’m not saying they should be the sole arbiters but they should have some input.”

Jones was sacked earlier this week after the Wallabies worst run of defeats in 36 years. They lost seven successive tests in 2005 and eight of their last nine, only beating Ireland.

New South Wales coach Ewen McKenzie, a 1991 World Cup winner and former assistant Wallabies coach has emerged as the early favourite to succeed him, though Jones said he believed David Nucifora should lead Australia to the 2007 World Cup in France.

With the Wallabies not due to play again until June, Flowers said there was no need for the ARU to make a hasty decision, although he hoped there would be an announcement by February.

“It’s a big task and it’s an important task and it’s absolutely critical that we get the right person for the position,” Flowers said yesterday.

“If we require a little more time to get the right person, we’ll allow that time. We’re not going to compromise the quality of the candidate by rushing it.”