Former Australia and Argentina head coach Michael Cheika has made the switch to rugby league after accepting an offer to serve as an assistant coach with NRL outfit the Sydney Roosters.
Cheika is a well-travelled rugby union coach and apart from coaching the Wallabies (2014 to 2019) and Argentina (2020 to 2023), he also had successful stints around the world in countries like England, Italy, Ireland, France and Japan.
He coached the Waratahs to the 2014 Super Rugby title, when they beat the competition’s most successful side, the Crusaders, in the final, and earlier this year he guided the Leicester Tigers to the Premiership final in which they suffered a narrow 23-21 defeat against Bath.
Has previous rugby league coaching experience
He is no stranger to rugby league coaching as he previously had a consultancy role with the Roosters in 2020 and guided Lebanon to the quarter-finals during their 2022 World Cup campaign in England.
The Roosters announced on Wednesday that Cheika will work with their forwards and also support coaches throughout the club’s pathway system.
Head coach Trent Robinson, who is a long-time friend of Cheika’s, is excited about the 58-year-old’s appointment and believes he will bring a different perspective to the NRL heavyweights.
“Michael and I have had a strong relationship for many years, and I’ve always admired the way he leads and challenges athletes,” he said.
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“His experience in rugby brings a different perspective that will inspire and test our players and coaches.”
Meanwhile, Roosters director of football Mitchell Aubusson is looking forward to Cheika switching codes.
‘A proven leader’
“Michael is a proven leader with a deep understanding of high-performance environments,” he said.
“He has a unique ability to connect with athletes and bring the best out of them.
“We’re excited about the impact he will have, not only with our NRL forwards but also across our pathways as players and coaches continue their development.”
Cheika will commence his position next month when the Roosters get their 2026 NRL pre-season preparations underway.
Earlier this year, he showed interest in becoming the Wallabies‘ boss again – as Joe Schmidt’s replacement – but Rugby Australia opted to give the coaching reins to Reds head coach Les Kiss, and Cheika revealed that he is not interested in taking charge of the Brisbane-based side when Kiss steps down from his position there.
