The Australian Rugby Union yesterday released a timetable of interviews for the position, but Johnson\'s name was missing from the list of contenders that will front a panel one by one from 9.30 on Friday morning.

Johnson confirmed on Friday he would not be proceeding with his application.

Pat Howard, the manager of the ARU\'s high performance unit, told the Sydney Morning Herald that Johnson had cited personal reasons for his decision.

\"It\'s a personal decision and we respect that,\" Howard said.

And, in a further major development, the man who is sure to have a great influence on who will be selected to succeed John Connolly - ARU chief executive John O\'Neill - will not be present at the interviews.

ARU media manager Roger White said O\'Neill, who has been suffering from a nerve problem in his neck, had undergone an operation on Tuesday and was not expected to be released from hospital until the weekend.

White said the interviews would go ahead in O\'Neill\'s absence and that the CEO would receive a report from the panel and also recordings of the interviews.

After the interviews are conducted, the panel of O\'Neill, Howard, Michael Hawker, Rod McCall, Mark Connors and Brett Robinson will make a recommendation to the board of the ARU. The board is expected to make its decision by the end of this month.

Bookmakers betting on who will get the job had Auckland Blues and former ACT Brumbies coach David Nucifora as favourite, ahead of radio broadcaster and 1980s Wallabies coach Alan Jones, Canterbury Crusaders coach Robbie Deans, NSW Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie, Wallabies defensive coach John Muggleton, and Brumbies coach Laurie Fisher.

Deans did not apply for the Wallabies role because of his preference to get the All Blacks job but bookmakers remain wary of the possibility he could get the nod if the ARU decides to delay the decision until after the NZRU decides on a coach and Deans misses out there.

McKenzie will be interviewed at 9.30, followed by Muggleton (11am), Fisher (12.30pm), Jones (2pm) and Nucifora (3.30pm).

Sources told the SMH that Jones had been working the phones to build support for his bid. While bookmakers weren\'t prepared to take any risks with him, his chances of getting the job weren\'t nearly as good as the odds suggested, sources said.

Deans was regarded as a certainty to get the job had he wanted it, and it is understood that in the eyes of the decision-makers all the remaining contenders have ticks and crosses against them, leaving the race still open. But it is anticipated either Nucifora or McKenzie will get the nod.