Cheika has been criticised for some Wallabies selections since the last World Cup and having another two figures on the selection panel should create greater consistency.

O’Connor declined to comment when contacted last night. Fox Sports has reported there will be an announcement in the coming days.

Meanwhile, a decision on who will replace attack coach Stephen Larkham is expected to be made sooner than later.

RA sacked Larkham as attack coach earlier this month after it emerged he and Cheika had different ideas on how the team should be run.

While the writing was on the wall for the Wallabies coaching staff after the team’s worst year on record since 1958, the decision took players by surprise.

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Playmaker Kurtley Beale was asked on Tuesday whether it became apparent there was a difference in opinion between Larkham and Cheika in the attack department.

"A little bit," Beale said. "But at the end of the day the players and a lot of the senior guys in the group had a huge responsibility in how we went out there and approached the game. It was a bit of a combination of everything really. There wasn’t much of a big deal.

"We had a huge review after the last game last year and everyone understands what is required now of a player to be able to make sure that last year doesn’t happen again."

Beale said he learnt a lot from Larkham during his time as an assistant.

"It was great to be under Bernie’s wing there for those years," Beale said. "He’s obviously got a great mind on how to read the game. Now he’s moved on but no doubt we’ll be able to keep continuing his [way of] getting the back line together and continue that kind of stuff. I got on really well with him and I know a lot of the backs did as well."

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The Wallabies do not play their first Test of the year until after the Super Rugby season concludes. They travel to Johannesburg for a match against South Africa on July 20 before returning home to play Argentina in Brisbane and then two Bledisloe Cup fixtures against New Zealand.

Beale is one of the few remaining Wallabies players who dealt with Johnson when he was an assistant under Connolly in 2006 and 2007, having trained with the Wallabies while he was still in school.

"He’s a great guy, he’s got a good rugby brain as well," said Beale of Johnson. "I’m looking forward to seeing what he has to offer as well and it’s a huge year."