Overview
- The Waratahs announced Cheika’s appointment on Wednesday with a one‑year contract and an option for 2028, making his hiring official after a targeted search.
- Cheika will remain with the NRL's Sydney Roosters for the rest of their 2026 campaign and take charge of Lebanon at the Rugby League World Cup before formally joining the Waratahs in November.
- The club has already re-signed playmakers Bernard Foley and Nick Phipps and plans to pursue further marquee signings within Rugby Australia’s salary-cap limits to accelerate improvement.
- Cheika arrives to reverse a decline that saw the Waratahs finish eighth in Super Rugby Pacific and follow Dan McKellar’s June departure, with the club expecting a quick performance bounce from his record of major trophies.
- Watch for Cheika’s staffing choices and how his cross-code experience changes training and selection, which will directly affect young Waratahs players and the team’s readiness for the 2027 World Cup cycle.