“The uncomfortable nature of it was because we were still having conversations with coaches when all the news broke,” he said.
“John has been very open, very receptive. He obviously enjoyed his time coaching the women, but he relishes the opportunity in front of him, and he’s passionate about staying involved in sevens and making a positive contribution towards it.
“He’s been really good, and Tim’s been really good with dealing with the switch that we now need to put into place.”
RA on Friday morning also confirmed the departure of director of rugby Scott Johnson from the organisation.
He will be replaced by a high-performance director, who will be charged with driving greater alignment between RA and the Super Rugby franchises.
“He’s done a huge amount of positive work, he’s brought in the new coaching regime, and he’s certainly worked really well on developing relationships with Super Rugby clubs and getting our staff into clubs throughout the year. They’re working in a lot more collaborative manner and that’s the sort of alignment we’re seeking,” Marinos said.
“We’ve gone through a lot of work on high performance and the structure, and we’re going to be restructuring that whole department.
“We don’t feel we need a director of rugby, we need a high-performance manager to come into that role.
“Johnno is more than welcome to apply for that role, and we will look at that. The role of director of rugby came at a very specific time, with a very specific purpose. We don’t believe we need that in the new system and the new structure going forward.”
Johnson said he was confident in the future of Australian rugby after his three years in the role.
Loading
“It’s been a great personal privilege to serve in this role over the last three years. The game has evolved rapidly over the last few years, especially through COVID, and it’s time for that next evolution in 2022 and beyond,” he said in an RA statement.
“I want to thank Andy, [Wallabies coach] Dave [Rennie] and the team at RA, as well as each of the Australian Super Rugby sides, for their spirit of cooperation over the last three years. I am confident that everyone is on the same page to drive forward into this new era to enable future success.”
RA will begin the search for Johnson’s replacement next week.
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
‘It’s a swap’: Manenti to take charge of men’s sevens, Johnson departs RA
Source: Philippines Alive
