Michael Cheika set to return to NSW Waratahs 11 years after Super Rugby title

Michael Cheika is on the verge of returning to the NSW Waratahs as head coach, more than a decade after guiding the Sydney franchise to the 2014 Super Rugby title. The 59-year-old is understood to have agreed a one-year deal — with an option in his favour for a second year — and an announcement could come as early as tomorrow.

Cheika spent this season as an assistant coach at NRL club the Sydney Roosters on a one-year contract, having previously taken charge of Leicester Tigers in the Gallagher Premiership after his tenure as Wallabies head coach ended in 2019. His appointment at the Waratahs effectively ends persistent speculation linking him with NRL head-coaching vacancies.

The club had cast a wide net before turning to Cheika. Former Ireland and Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt was identified as a primary target but has since been confirmed as a coach development adviser at Ulster. New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson and Eddie Jones’s long-time assistant Scott Wisemantel, now at the Parramatta Eels, are also reported to have declined approaches.

Cheika’s return comes as the Waratahs attempt to rebuild after a difficult 2024 season in which they finished eighth out of 11 teams, winning just five of their 14 matches. That run of results cost Dan McKellar his job — the same position McKellar had vacated at Leicester Tigers when Cheika took over at Welford Road.

The club has already moved to reconnect with its 2014 title-winning era. Veteran half-backs Bernard Foley and Nick Phipps, who formed Cheika’s championship-winning combination, have both returned from Japanese club rugby — Foley from Kubota Spears and Phipps from the Green Rockets.

Former Wallabies players Stephen Hoiles and Wycliff Palu, currently coaching in the United States and Japan respectively, are widely expected to join Cheika’s backroom staff.

Before linking up with the Waratahs, Cheika will first take charge of Lebanon at the Rugby League World Cup. His one-year deal structure also means he would be free to pursue other opportunities after the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season should he choose not to exercise the extension option.