The veteran mentor Tim Sheens has been appointed coach of the Australian rugby league team,
Sheens is the most experienced coach in NRL history with 568 games behind him.
He takes over from Ricky Stuart who stood down following his outburst at the referee after last year's World Cup final loss to New Zealand.
The 58-year-old Wests Tigers coach beat Manly coach Des Hasler and former Test captain Mal Meninga for the role, with Meninga overlooked due to his role with the Queensland State of Origin side.
Sheens' first assignment will be the Test against world champions New Zealand in Brisbane on May 8.
His only previous representative experience was with New South Wales in the 1991 Origin series, which the Blues lost 2-1, and with City Origin in 1991 and over the last three seasons.
