Scott Johnson will become Rugby Australia’s director of rugby after next year’s Six Nations tournament, with Michael Cheika staying on as Wallabies coach.

Johnson, who is currently Scotland’s director of rugby, has signed a three-year contract with Rugby Australia.

Cheika will keep his job until the end of the 2019 World Cup, despite overseeing a 2018 campaign that resulted in just four victories from 13 games. However, the head coach will now have to report to Johnson.

The two will make up part of a three-person Wallabies selection panel, with the third person to be announced early next year and coming from outside the existing set-up.

‘Michael’s focus and direction is to concentrate on the Wallabies, so he will be leading everything to do with the Wallabies’ on-field performance, and Scott will be looking at the off-field focus areas of the Wallabies around athletic performance, sport science and sport psychology, and all of those areas,’ said RA CEO Raelene Castle.

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