FORMER Wallabies captain Phil Kearns is being tipped as the favourite to replace Bill Pulver as Rugby Australia’s next chief executive and beat former Bulldogs boss Raelene Castle to the role, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Kearns played 67 times for the Wallabies and won the 1991 and 1999 Rugby World Cups before embarking on a successful business career.

The former hooker is currently the managing director of insurance company InterRISK Australia as well as being a rugby commentator for Fox Sports.

Kearns, Castle and an unnamed third short-listed candidate are believed to have interviewed for the job in Sydney this week.

Former Bulldogs chief executive Raelene Castle pictured at Belmore Oval. Source: News Corp Australia

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Castle, a New Zealander, became the first female chief executive of an NRL club when she took the reins of the Bulldogs in 2013.

She resigned from that job in May this year and previously served as the chief executive of Netball New Zealand.

Rugby Australia’s chairman Cameron Clyne, director Ann Sherry and human resources boss Rachel Buckling are believed to have conducted the interviews.

The successful candidate will likely start work early next year with Pulver holding the fort until then.

Pulver has held the position since 2013 and has endured a rocky year, coming under fire for his handling of the Force’s cull from Super Rugby.