Cape Town - The
Brumbies have started the process of finding a replacement for head
coach Stephen Larkham with an announcement expected early next year.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports the application process has started after Larkham announced he would be joining the Wallabies as a full-time assistant after the 2017 Super Rugby competition.
Ideally, the Brumbies would like to announce Larkham's successor before the start of Super Rugby as they would like the new coach to work with the former Australian flyhalf for a handover period.
The Brumbies had their final training session of the year on Tuesday before taking a two-week break.
Brumbies chairperson Robert Kennedy confirmed applications will close early next year.
Interviews would begin before the first game of the new season.
The Brumbies start their Super Rugby campaign against the Crusaders on February 25.
New Brumbies chief executive Michael Thomson will begin his tenure on January 24 and is keen to involve Larkham in the coaching recruitment process.
The Brumbies will form a selection panel in the coming months to narrow their search.
"We've got a process in place and the ads for a new coach are out," Kennedy said.
"The applications close in mid-January and we'll be doing some interviews after that. We're hoping by the end of February if it moves quickly we'll be in a position to make an announcement.
"That will give us a chance to plan for a handover to take place well before 2018. The administration of it is going now and the coaching search will be Michael's first task."