Dave Rennie to fill Wallabies forwards coach role soon
New Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has arrived in Australia for a 10-day visit and while he has no intention of resolving the captaincy, another appointment is likely to be made.
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A Wallabies forwards coach could be appointed later this week, coincidentally while new head coach Dave Rennie is in town, with the man who performed that role under Michael Cheika, Simon Raiwalui, in line for an ongoing role with Rugby Australia.
At this point, it appears unlikely Raiwalui will remain in his old position, although it is understood that the post-World Cup reviews of the Wallabies indicated he did a highly respected job within the Australian coaching ranks.
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While he initially worked only on the scrum, by 2019 he was in charge of both scrum and lineout, delivering an almost faultless scrum and improving the lineout dramatically.
Like defence coach Nathan Grey, who has been seconded to the Sunwolves but will return to the Australian coaching system following Super Rugby, Raiwalui looks certain to be retained in some capacity.
Nick Stiles, the former Wallabies prop and Reds head coach, is understood to be favourite for the role of forwards coach but RA’s director of rugby, Scott Johnson, appears determined not to let good coaches be lost to the system.
The intent appears to be a complete clean-out of the Cheika coaching staff but it would not surprise if Raiwalui surfaced as a forwards coach with, say, the Under 20 Junior Wallabies.
Rennie, meanwhile, was welcomed into the Australian system with a traditional Aboriginal smoking ceremony on Tuesday at RA’s Moore Park headquarters.
It is understood that Rennie, although he intends to have a meeting with Michael Hooper, has no intentions of discussing the Wallabies captaincy with him or anyone else on this 10-day visit.
Indications are that he will leave the choice of captain until he has selected his first Test side in June.
Rennie will be close at hand while RA makes its pitch for Saracens lock Will Skelton to return to Australia following his club’s relegation from the Premiership for breaching the salary cap.
Originally published as Dave Rennie to fill Wallabies forwards coach role soon