Larkham will work under a similar arrangement to Nathan Grey, who joined Cheika's coaching team ahead of the spring tour and is now back with the Waratahs for the duration of the Super Rugby season. Crucially, the Brumbies are on board with the plan after expressing early reservations about how their head coach would juggle two roles. Larkham, who is contracted to the Brumbies until the end of the 2017 season, said he was delighted to be in a position to help steer the Wallabies through a challenging world cup preparation, but would keep the Brumbies at the top of his list of priorities. "I'm passionate about rugby in general, I'm a proud Australian and I love the Wallabies," the 102-Test veteran said. "I want to see them do well, I'd love to help out if they would like me. But at the same time I've got a massive responsibility and requirement to be here [at the Brumbies] and see it through. That's certainly my number one priority."

Cheika said he was no closer to finalising a forwards coach, a position he wants to keep full time. World cup-winning Test prop Andrew Blades has served in the role for three seasons under Robbie Deans and Ewen McKenzie, and Cheika said he wanted to give Blades time to present his plans for the pack going forward. "Andrew is in situ at the moment so I'll be talking to him about his role in the next couple of weeks and what he's going to bring over the next block, and decide if that's how we're going to go or if we're going to look at someone else in that role as well," Cheika said. "I've been very transparent and Andrew's been excellent in his understanding of my approach with that as well." Western Force coach Michael Foley is still in the frame and it is understood Cheika has cast the net as wide as Europe in the search for options.

"I haven't really spoken to anyone in detail about that, there's been a bit of canvassing but I need to speak with Andrew first about what his plans will be going forward, and then I'll make some moves," Cheika said. Less than eight months remain before the world cup starts in England and Wales, and after poor performances up front in Europe last November, there is some urgency around the issue. Cheika was adamant the Wallabies' woes were not personnel-related. "We've been doing something for a while now and it's been giving us inconsistency in the areas of scrum, driving maul, week-in week-out. It's not a question for us anymore, it's not a doubt for us anymore," he said. "Those changes can be made with Andrew in there or with someone else, it just depends on how we decide to go.

"You can say that around some parts of the game, and we need a better plan and a better strategy around how we're bringing guys through. "But while we may not be the best in the world in that area we are not at a disadvantage. Our guys are not that much weaker that they can't push with the same intensity. "We're not getting smashed there all the time, it's about the self-belief in that part of the game in the key moments. That's what we're looking at." Cheika also confirmed former Argentina international Mario Ledesma would join the Waratahs as a coach-observer this season. Ledesma, who earned 84 Test caps at hooker for the Pumas, was coaching with Montpellier but parted ways with the French club before new coach Jake White arrived late last year.

Ledesma is understood to be in the frame for a coaching role with Argentina's new Super Rugby team when it joins the competition in 2016. Embedding Ledesma with the Waratahs is viewed by Argentina's national union as good preparation for the country's introduction to the competition. with Chris Dutton