Dave Rennie insists he had full support of playing group and staff members

Former Australia head coach Dave Rennie admitted he was disappointed not to see his contract through after being sacked from the role this month.

Rennie replaced Michael Cheka as head coach post 2019 World Cup and was contracted until the 2023 showpiece event in France but was removed from the role after the team's mixed outing last year where they won just five games from 14 matches.

Nevertheless, the 59-year-old said he had full support of the players and staff members.

“The support has been immense and much appreciated from the more than 500 messages I’ve received,” he said.

“I’ve loved my time with the team. They’re outstanding young men who are keen to learn and prepared to work hard.”

He also expressed disappointment to be removed from the coaching role with less than nine months left for the World Cup.

"I am disappointed I won’t be able to see out my contract in the way I agreed to back in 2019," he added.

“But [I] leave knowing I had the full support of the playing group and the staff,” he added.

“I certainly felt we have made massive shifts over the past three years both on and off the field, which is off the back of a hell of a lot of hard work put in by good people.”

Rennie was replaced by Eddie Jones, who previously guided the Wallabies to a final in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He was also their coach between 2001 and 2005 but was recently sacked by the Rugby Football Union.

“To be honest, I never really thought about getting the opportunity to coach Australia again. The first time in 2005, that was a difficult time,” said Jones.

“You’re coaching your country and it gets taken away from you, but you move on and just get on with it, then re-focus on what you’re doing."