Castle bites tongue on Chieka’s call

Raelene Castle has resisted responding to Michael Cheika’s astonishing revelation of broken relationships at the top of Rugby Australia, but she says the Wallabies have failed to fire under the departing coach.

Rugby Australia’s hellish season lurched again on Sunday when five-year head coach Cheika announced he will quit his post, taking pot shots at chief executive Castle and chairman Cameron Clyne.

He said he barely had a relationship with the pair and voiced his displeasure at a change to the Wallabies coaching structure this year, saying he never felt comfortable with new director of rugby Scott Johnson overseeing his role.

Ironically, it is Johnson who will lead the process to identify and appoint a coach by Christmas, a process that was well under way before the Wallabies bowed out of the World Cup with a big loss to England in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

Whoever comes on board will have Cheika’s comments echoing.

‘‘I think it’s no secret that I’ve pretty much got no relationship with the CEO and not much with the chairman,’’ Cheika said.

‘‘Scott’s a lovely bloke and I get on fine with him but I’m sort of not really into that type of thing [layered coaching structure].’’

Castle wouldn’t respond to Cheika’s remarks, instead issuing a statement thanking the 52-year-old for his dedication before outlining the importance of Johnson’s review into Australia’s failed campaign in Japan.

However, Castle described the World Cup outcome as ‘‘incredibly disappointing’’. .

‘‘ I don’t think anyone would think that we have been satisfied with the results.’’