KEY POINTS:
MONTPELLIER, France - John Connolly wants to see an Australian succeed him as the Wallabies head rugby coach, believing the post wouldn't mean as much to a foreigner.
Connolly will end his two-year tenure after the Rugby World Cup and New Zealander Robbie Deans is the favourite on an eight-man list to replace him.
Deans is the only foreigner currently being considered but has strong support from Australian Rugby Union supremo John O'Neill who was keen to lure him across the Tasman in late 2003.
Connolly has two assistant coaches - Scott Johnson and John Muggleton - in the running for an appointment he felt an Australian coach would see as the pinnacle.
"I think if you are a foreigner, at times, it doesn't quite mean as much to you as if it was your country and it becomes another job and I think coaching a country is more than that," Connolly said.
"From a personal point of view I'd prefer an Australian but whoever the ARU appointed I'd support a 100 per cent."
Connolly was at pains to stress it was only his opinion, he would support whichever man took his job and it wasn't an issue distracting his team at the World Cup.
But he drew on his own past, when he took a week mulling over a 1996 offer to coach Ireland, to explain his feeling.
"I just didn't feel comfortable at the time, and I was with Queensland and I enjoyed coaching Queensland," he said.
Deans, who has coached the Crusaders to six Super rugby titles, is also in the running for the All Blacks job with Graham Henry expected to bow out after the tournament in France.
But Henry's forwards assistant and former Wales coach Steve Hansen will be better positioned if New Zealand ends their 20-year Cup drought.
Connolly's position supports the view of 1991 World Cup-winning Wallabies skipper Nick Farr-Jones who believes nationality is a key factor in the role.
The issue has opened up a debate with former Football Federation Australia chief O'Neill pointing to the success of Dutchman Guus Hiddink with the Socceroos.
O'Neill has assembled a panel including Pat Howard, Rod McCall, Brett Robinson, Jeff Miller and Mark Connors to appoint the new coach in late November.
Super 14 coaches David Nucifora (Blues), Ewen McKenzie (Waratahs) and Laurie Fisher (Brumbies) are also contenders for the job.
Connolly denied he would follow predecessor Eddie Jones' lead with South Africa and assist a big rival nation.
"Top-tier nations, you wouldn't do it," he said.
"Tier three you wouldn't rule out helping somewhere.
"You wouldn't help a tier-one nation."
The comments can be interpreted as a backhander to Jones who was reportedly sounded out by the likes of Fiji, Japan and Italy before joining the Boks campaign.
Connolly admitted the timing of the selection process was difficult for Johnson, Muggleton and fellow assistant Michael Foley, keen to keep his forwards coach role.
But he insisted it wasn't taking their focus away from World Cup preparations.
"They're looking to their futures, there's no doubt," he said.
"Separating the two is difficult for them at times because they want to know what they're doing after the World Cup."
- AAP
