A besieged Ewen McKenzie has retained the support of his under-performing Wallabies squad and the Australian Rugby Union following a clear-the-air team meeting to address fall-out from the Kurtley Beale texting scandal.
Chief executive Bill Pulver released a statement last night confirming McKenzie's job as coach. "I can confirm the ARU has not had any conversations with any other coaches regarding the Wallabies coaching position," he said.
"Ewen is coaching the team this weekend and next Friday, he will board the plane with the team for the Spring Tour and is contracted to Australian Rugby to lead the Wallabies to next year's Rugby World Cup."
Vice-captain Adam Ashley-Cooper said he wanted the coach to keep his post heading into their 2015 World Cup campaign.
The senior statesman of the side, preparing for his 100th Test on Saturday night against the All Blacks, was among six players put out when stood down by McKenzie for a late-night bonding session in Dublin last year.
Under-currents of friction appear to have festered in the squad since but Ashley-Cooper denied the Wallabies were a divided team.
He was guarded about his thoughts on the "sensitive situation" surrounding Beale's lewd and offensive messages related to business manager Di Patston in June but threw his full support behind his NSW Waratahs centre partner on Monday.
Although the 99-Test veteran had less to say about McKenzie's position, he was adamant the team backed the coach and wanted him to remain for the five-week spring tour.
