Michael Cheika is the new coach of the Waratahs after signing on with the NSW province.
Cheika, 45, was most recently involved with French club Stade Francais but left there in May and was linked to the Western Force coaching role, left vacant by the departure of Richard Graham to the Reds, before agreeing to a deal with NSW.
Before his stint in France the former Randwick No.8 coached Irish province Leinster to a Heineken Cup triumph in 2009 and the Celtic League in 2008. He played more than 300 games for the Galloping Greens, winning seven Shute Shields before coaching the club to the title in 2004.
During his five years with Leinster, Cheika recruited former Waratahs and Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom and former Randwick coach Alan Gaffney to the province. It is expected that Gaffney, who joined the Waratahs from the Ireland team at the end of last year, will stay on in an assistant coaching role.
Cheika succeeds Michael Foley in the top job at Moore Park. Foley joined the Force last month after a troubled season, during which the Waratahs won just four Super Rugby games and lost 12 games.
