Under-fire Australia rugby coach Ewen McKenzie quits before loss to New Zealand

Under-fire Australia coach stepped down on saturday, a few hours before the Wallabies were beaten 29-28 by world champions New Zealand in Brisbane, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) said in a statement.

New Zealand‘s Keven Mealamu, right, runs with the ball against Australia during their Bledisloe Cup match in Brisbane on Saturday. Patrick Hamilton / AFP

Australia 28 New Zealand 29

Australia Tries: Phipps, Foley, Ashley-Cooper; Cons: Foley 2; Pens: Foley 2, White

New Zealand Tries: Jane, Coles, A Smith, Fekitoa; Cons: Barrett 2, Slade; Pen: Barrett

Man of the match Bernard Foley (Australia)

SYDNEY // Under-fire Australia coach Ewen McKenzie resigned Saturday, a few hours before the Wallabies were beaten 29-28 by world champions New Zealand in Brisbane, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) said in a statement.

McKenzie, who took over from Robbie Deans just over a year ago, had come under pressure over the past two weeks for his role in the row over offensive text messages player Kurtley Beale allegedly sent to a team official in June.

He was forced to deny he had been involved in an intimate relation with Di Patston, the official in question, and faced the accusation that he had lost the support of senior players over her role with the team.

McKenzie said there was a “bunch of reasons” but refused to go into details about his ­resignation.

“I resigned this morning at 10 o’clock. I wrote to [ARU chief] Bill [Pulver] and the board members and discussed what’s been going on,” McKenzie said. “I’ve been a very proud contributor to Australian rugby. There’s a bunch of reasons that I’ve put in writing to Bill.

“My intention was to resign win, lose or draw. I’ve only just told the team. I didn’t advise the team or staff before the game.

“It’s been a disappointing time for a number of reasons. I’m not going to go into the details, you guys can work it out.

“I’ve been unhappy with a bunch of things and the easiest thing for me is to exit stage left. I’ll leave you guys to speculate or ponder, I’ll write a chapter in my book.”

The defeat to the All Blacks was a third straight loss for the Wallabies after defeats in South Africa and Argentina over the past month and left McKenzie with a 50 per cent winning record in his 22 matches in charge.

“I did not ask Ewen to resign but understand his decision. He informed me this morning of his intention to resign, regardless of tonight’s result,” Pulver said.

“Ewen is a world-class coach and a world-class individual who has been committed to playing entertaining rugby for our fans since he started in the role.

“We sincerely wish Ewen well for the future professionally and personally.”

Pulver said he hoped to appoint a new coach before the end of the week, when the Wallabies depart for their November tour of Europe.

Former Springbok coach Jake White, who was in the frame to replace Deans last year, and Michael Cheika, who led New South Wales Waratahs to the Super Rugby title this year, are likely to be leading candidates.

All Blacks centre Malakai Fekitoa scored a last-minute try, which Colin Slade converted, to give the world champions the dramatic victory at Lang Park in Brisbane.

Winger Cory Jane and hooker Dane Coles crossed for the visitors in the first half, and scrum-half Aaron Smith’s 69th minute score kept the All Blacks in a game they had been chasing all evening.

Tries from scrum-half Nick Phipps and fly-half Bernard Foley in the first half and one after the break from winger Adam Ashley-Cooper, who was playing in his 100th Test, were Australia’s reward for a performance of rare intensity, but it was not enough.

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