Overview
- Rugby Australia announced the appointment on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, signing Fukofuka through the end of the 2029 home Rugby World Cup with a planned start in early 2027 reporting to Director of Women’s High Performance Tim Walsh.
- Fukofuka left the Scotland women’s job last week on compassionate grounds and cited family stress as the reason for his return to Australia.
- A transition coaching team led by Mike Ruthven, Duncan Chubb, Ben Mowen and Reg Tayler will run the Wallaroos through the remainder of 2026 and interim coaches Sam Needs and Gill Bourke have departed.
- Rugby Australia said the move creates the Wallaroos’ first full-time national program and will target a minimum of 10 Tests per year through the World Cup cycle to intensify preparation.
- Fukofuka brings a decade of Australian and international experience, including three years as a Wallaroos assistant and two-and-a-half years as USA head coach, and he has said he wants to align the 7s and 15s pathways and be closer to family in Sydney.