Former Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika has been confirmed as the new head coach of the NSW Waratahs for the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season, bringing one of Australian rugby’s most successful coaches back to the club where he made history.
Cheika will return to the Waratahs more than a decade after guiding the Sydney-based side to its first and only Super Rugby championship in 2014. He subsequently took charge of the Wallabies and led Australia to the 2015 Rugby World Cup final, where they finished runners-up to New Zealand.
The 59-year-old Sydney native is expected to begin his Waratahs duties in November, after completing his current commitments with the Sydney Roosters and Lebanon’s rugby league program.
A Championship Reunion
Cheika’s appointment comes as the Waratahs look to rebuild after a difficult 2026 Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
The team finished eighth with a 5-9 record and parted ways with coach Dan McKellar, creating an opening that ultimately brought Cheika back into the picture. ABC had previously reported that Cheika was among the names being considered for the position as Rugby Australia searched for McKellar’s replacement.
His return also adds another intriguing layer to the Waratahs’ rebuilding project.
Earlier this month, the club brought back veteran halfbacks Bernard Foley and Nick Phipps, two key figures from the 2014 championship-winning side. Foley famously kicked the decisive penalty in the 2014 Super Rugby final.
That means the Waratahs are not simply hiring an experienced coach—they are bringing back several familiar figures from the club’s most successful era.
From Waratahs Glory to Wallabies Pressure
Cheika’s coaching résumé extends well beyond Sydney.
Before taking over the Wallabies, he had already established himself as one of rugby’s leading coaches, including guiding Leinster to the 2009 Heineken Cup and the Waratahs to their historic 2014 Super Rugby title.
He was subsequently named World Rugby Coach of the Year in 2015 after leading Australia to the World Cup final.
His coaching career later took him overseas, including spells with Argentina and England’s Leicester Tigers. He also moved into rugby league, joining the Sydney Roosters as an assistant coach and gaining experience in the NRL environment.
That unusual cross-code experience could become one of Cheika’s biggest advantages when he takes over the Waratahs.
Why This Return Matters
The timing is significant.
Australia is preparing to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup, making the rebuilding of the country’s professional rugby system particularly important. The Waratahs will be expected to develop players capable of contributing to Australian rugby while also challenging for Super Rugby success.
Cheika’s return gives the Waratahs a coach who already knows the club, understands Australian rugby and has experience operating at the highest international level.
Rugby Australia officials have also previously acknowledged the importance of finding the right coach to take the Waratahs forward after McKellar’s departure.
The club has meanwhile been strengthening its playing group for 2027, including experienced forwards Sefo Kautai and Veikoso Poloniati, as well as extending the contract of young scrum-half Teddy Wilson.
The Big Question
Now comes the part that could determine whether this is a nostalgic reunion or the beginning of another Waratahs revival:
Can Michael Cheika recreate the magic of 2014?
The challenge will be considerably different this time.
The Waratahs are entering a new era, Australian rugby is preparing for a home World Cup, and Cheika is returning with experience gained from international rugby, European club rugby and the NRL.
For Waratahs supporters, however, the message is unmistakable:
The coach who delivered the club’s greatest triumph is coming home.
And with several familiar championship-era names also returning, the 2027 Waratahs could look very different from the team that struggled through the previous campaign.
The real test begins in November.
Will Cheika’s second chapter in Sydney end with another trophy—or will the past prove impossible to recreate?
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