McKenzie quits as Wallabies coach after loss

BRISBANE, Australia: A one-point, stoppage-time loss to New Zealand abruptly ended Ewen McKenzie’s short and tumultuous stint as Australia coach on Saturday, leaving the Wallabies rudderless a week ahead of a European tour and only 11 months before the Rugby World Cup.
McKenzie had been dealing with an investigation into utility back Kurtley Beale’s off-field conduct amid reports about discord and disharmony within the Wallabies squad, increasing speculation in the last two weeks that the coaching job was on the line.
In a muted news conference after the 29-28 Bledisloe Cup loss to the All Blacks in Brisbane, McKenzie said he’d made up his mind well before the game that it would be his last in charge of the national team.
“I resigned this morning at 10 o’clock,” McKenzie said, delaying his statement until skipper Michael Hooper had left the room. “I’ve been a very proud contributor to Australian rugby, but I feel at this point ... there’s a bunch of reasons. The intention was win, lose or draw I was going to announce that resignation tonight.”
McKenzie waited until after the match to tell the team.
“I didn’t actually advise the team or any of the members of staff, so I’ve just done that,” McKenzie said. “I’m not going to go into the detail — you guys can work that out.
“The easiest way for me is to exit stage left and I’ll leave you guys to ponder, speculate and I’ll write a chapter in my book and then you’ll know all about it.”
McKenzie had coaching success at provincial level, helping New South Wales to the Super Rugby final in 2008 — despite being told earlier in the season that his contract wouldn’t be renewed — and, after a stint in Europe, returned to Australia and helped lift the Queensland Reds out of the doldrums to a Super Rugby title in 2011.
The World Cup-winning prop was appointed Wallabies coach last August, only days after Robbie Deans — the first foreigner hired as head coach of Australia’s top team — was fired. McKenzie guided the Wallabies in 22 tests for 11 wins, a draw and 10 losses — that span including a stretch of seven consecutive wins.
He received the public backing of the Australian Rugby Union earlier in the week as the squad was dealing with a host of off-field issues, including the disciplinary investigation into Beale and the sudden resignation of the Wallabies business manager Di Patston.
Australian Rugby Union chief executive Bill Pulver blamed media critics for McKenzie’s sudden departure, describing recent reporting as a character assassination and saying “we lost a good man tonight.”
The ARU hopes to appoint a coach before the squad leaves for Europe on Friday.