Cheika’s secret assembly with RA boss as hunt for Schmidt’s Wallabies successor ramps up

As Rugby Australia narrows in on discovering Joe Schmidt’s alternative, former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika seems to have thrown his hat within the ring after assembly with chief govt Phil Waugh.

The Roar can completely reveal Cheika met Waugh on Tuesday morning on Sydney’s decrease North Shore at Piato Restaurant.

It’s understood Cheika, who’s again in Sydney for a flying go to earlier than returning to England to finish his last 4 months with Leicester Tigers, reached out to Waugh – and it doesn’t take a lot to think about what was on the menu.

With Schmidt bowing out in early October following the Rugby Championship, RA must discover a coach to guide the Wallabies by means of the 2 most vital years within the sport’s historical past, which incorporates the 2027 World Cup on house soil.

Former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika met with Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh concerning the soon-to-be vacant position. (Photograph by Cameron Spencer/Getty Photos)

The governing physique has many issues to think about, mainly a need to seek out somebody to proceed on the rebuilding job Schmidt has began and, most significantly, safe the particular person probably to guide the Wallabies to the ultimate weekend of the World Cup on the second week of November in 2027.

Native coaches in Tremendous Rugby, together with the Reds’ Les Kiss and first-year Waratahs boss Dan McKellar, are thought of the main candidates for the position, whereas Irish nice and La Rochelle coach Ronan O’Gara has additionally expressed his curiosity.

Reigning Tremendous Rugby-winning coach Vern Cotter, who helped snap the Blues’ 21-year drought, is one other who many pundits, together with Matt To’omua and Morgan Turinui, have steered RA ought to sound out.

However few on the planet, particularly in Australia, have the resume to match Cheika’s, with the 2015 World Rugby coach of the yr one of many few locals to have labored extensively on the worldwide stage and received main titles domestically.

Cheika additionally simply so occurs to be free and out there after asserting lately that he wouldn’t proceed with Leicester regardless of the Tigers’ need to increase his one-year deal past June since taking up from McKellar.

Waugh, who was on the RA board when Cheika’s tumultuous reign led to 2019, lately stated he hoped to announce the following Wallabies coach within the subsequent few weeks and on Tuesday instructed The Roar he was happy with the curiosity the vacant position was garnering.

“We’re proud of the progress being made relating to the appointment of the following Wallabies head coach,” Waugh stated.

“We’ve got labored extensively to establish a focused shortlist of candidates whom we consider are finest positioned to proceed the robust progress made underneath the teaching of Joe Schmidt.

“We’ve got additionally obtained a excessive stage of inbound curiosity from high quality candidates from around the globe, reflecting the optimistic trajectory of the Wallabies.

“We’re extremely excited for the Check towards Fiji, the British and Irish Lions collection and The Rugby Championship underneath Joe earlier than an orderly transition forward of Assessments towards Japan and the Autumn Nations collection later within the yr.”

RA CEO Phil Waugh is on the hunt for a brand new Wallabies coach, with Joe Schmidt (L) to bow out in October. (Photograph by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Photos)

It’s believed Cheika wasn’t initially recognized as one in all RA’s prime targets, however he’s also called one of the vital persuasive figures within the sport.

Whereas the passionate Australian’s reign led to chaos in 2019, Cheika additionally turned the nation’s fortunes round in lower than a yr by main them to the World Cup last in 2015.

His success on the worldwide stage got here after he turned the primary coach to win main home titles within the north and south, with Cheika main the Waratahs to a historic Tremendous Rugby title in 2014 5 years after his Leinster facet received the European Champions Cup.

And whereas the second half of Cheika’s tenure with the Wallabies nose-dived, the previous Randwick coach confirmed his teaching prowess and expertise by main Argentina to the World Cup semi-finals of the 2023 World Cup.

Alongside the best way, Los Pumas beat the Wallabies on house soil, England at Twickenham and the South People secured a historic win over the All Blacks in New Zealand.

Many consider Cheika has matured as a coach and particular person in recent times, however some nonetheless suppose it’s nonetheless too quickly to show to a different Randwick determine following Eddie Jones’ horror 2023 marketing campaign.