Australian coach close to retirement

SYDNEY - Rod Macqueen will end his successful reign as Wallabies rugby coach against the All Blacks in this year's Tri-Nations series, according to the Australian newspaper.

It said Macqueen would stand down in August after the Tri-Nations, leaving the world champions to find a successor for their end-of-season tour of North America and Europe.

His contract expires in December.

The paper said the man behind the best win-loss record in Australia's 102-year test history had privately confirmed his decision to friends.

He would have seven more tests in charge and hoped to go out with a home-series win over the Lions under his belt and the successful defence of the Tri-Nations crown.

If true, the final match of the series against the All Blacks, in Sydney in August, will be his swansong.

Macqueen has reportedly considered retirement since the middle of last year. There was speculation he would step aside before the November tour of Europe, but the prospect of taking on the Lions persuaded him to stay, the paper said.

ACT Brumbies coach Eddie Jones is favourite to take his place.

Whoever steps in will come into the Wallabies role in similar circumstances to Macqueen, who took over from Greg Smith after the 1997 Tri-Nations and toured Europe later that year.

The Sydney businessman and former Brumbies coach has since forged a test record of 32 wins, seven losses and one draw.

A highlight was winning the 1999 World Cup and, before last year's loss to England at Twickenham, the Wallabies held seven international trophies.

Several leading Wallabies left this year, among them Tim Horan, David Wilson, Jason Little and Richard Harry. This season is also expected to be captain John Eales' last.

- NZPA