Cheika to see out Wallabies contract

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has the full support of the Rugby Australia board and will see out his contract despite the side’s poor start to the 2018 season, according to CEO Raelene Castle.

“(They were) disappointing performances, no doubt,” Castle told Rugby Australia’s official website.

“And everyone recognises that – that’s not how we want the Wallaby jersey to be perceived at all.

“He is contracted through to the World Cup and he has a plan – we are across that plan and we are comfortable with it.

“But clearly you can’t just ignore the performances – they’re not acceptable.

“So it’s about what we can do to support him as an organisation to make sure he has what he needs to make sure the Wallabies are successful as we move into that World Cup.”

Castle name-checked defence as a problem area, potentially putting assistant coach Nathan Grey in the gun after the Wallabies leaked 78 points in their Bledisloe Cup defeats in Sydney and Auckland.

"There are different parts of the game we haven't performed, particularly around our defence, and that would be something that we'll be having a conversation about," Castle said.

"I don't think it's about changing what we've got, it's about what can we bring. We've got a wide rugby community that's had significant success on the world stage.

"What can we use in those experts that are proud Australians that want to help the Wallabies to make sure that we can continue to be successful?"

Australia haven't won the Bledisloe Cup since 2002.

"It's hard, because we all want to beat New Zealand. That's the reality. They're the benchmark, they have been for such a long period of time."