Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has wasted little time naming a replacement for departed attack coach Brett Davis, announcing another former NRL player and member of his England staff, Jason Ryles, would join the squad in France.
The former Dragons and Roosters prop, who played 271 games in the NRL, will link up with the Wallabies in Europe "shortly", a Rugby Australia media release confirmed on Friday.
The Wallabies had on Thursday flown out for the World Cup, but not before Jones himself had delivered a withering spray on the local rugby media in Sydney.
Jones had earlier revealed Davis had departed for "family matters" before he exploded on journalists when he was questioned about the World Cup omissions of Michael Hooper and Quade Cooper.
Ryles, meanwhile, has little time to assert his influence on the 33-man Wallabies squad, with Australia having just one final warmup game, against France in Paris on Aug. 27, before they open their World Cup campaign proper on Sept. 9.
"I would like to thank Brad for his efforts this year, and we wish him all the best for his future," Jones said via media release.
"Jason is the most sought-after coach in the NRL. He will add immensely to our coaching staff and help prepare the players to win the Rugby World Cup.
"We are thrilled to have him join the team."
Ryles was earlier this year poised to be unveiled as the coach of NRL club St George Illawarra for 2024, until a late change of heart saw him align his future to Melbourne Storm instead.
Ryles' current club, Sydney Roosters, released him as a result, but with his move to the Storm, where he will be groomed to take over from veteran coach Craig Bellamy, not officially commencing until the start of the 2024 preseason, Ryles was free to take on another job in the meantime.
Ryles had previously worked as a skills coach under Jones with England in 2020, and was later set to take on a fulltime role until restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic saw him instead switch to the Roosters.
Ryles will be the second former NRL player among Jones' staff at the World Cup, with former Wests Tigers skipper Brett Hodgson already serving as defence coach.