“If Cheik was available,he’d be the first priority because of his experience,” said Poidevin,who played alongside Cheika at Randwick.
“If the Waratahs aren’t winning,then rugby in this state and country is severely weakened. It’s an absolute priority the Waratahs get their act together.
“There’s the usual Cheik-haters out there. It’s not a job for someone who hasn’t been through these battles. He’s been through these battles and he knows what’s required.
Former Wallabies great Simon Poidevin.Credit:Daniel Munoz
“It’s critical that the next Waratahs head coach appointment … is a game-changer in the way that Michael Cheika was in 2013.
“Stephen Hoiles is a brilliant coach and another leader of men. Nathan Grey is also an accomplished coach. Speaking to those three guys would be my priority.”
The Waratahs won four of 16 games in the 2012 season before Cheika took over and steered the team to a maiden title in 2014. He then took the Wallabies job and helped Australia to a World Cup final in 2015 before standing aside after a quarter-final exit in 2019.
“Cheika is as experienced as you get,” Poidevin said. “Rugby Australia were brilliant in appointing Joe Schmidt as Wallaby coach but for family reasons Schmidt can only commit until the end of 2025. Cheika would dearly love to coach the Wallabies at the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
“Cheika’s record from 2013 to 2015 speaks for itself. He’s returning to Sydney in July with his family from France.”
Speaking on Irish rugby podcastOff The Ball,Cheika said he was ready for the next coaching challenge.
“I’m ready,” he said. “I go through a bit of a process post something like[a World Cup] where I take a bit of a break and take some time to do some education for myself. I’ve got a lot of things I want to achieve in coaching.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt.Credit:Getty
“I’ve been watching a lot more footy than I have before,both codes[league and union]. I’ve still got strong ambitions about what I want to achieve.”
Cheika,who guided Argentina to a semi-final at last year’s World Cup,was overlooked for the Wallabies head coaching gig. RA opted to bring in Schmidt on a short deal that runs until the end of next year’s British and Irish Lions series.
Under Eddie Jones last year,the Wallabies failed to make it out of the pool stages at a World Cup for the first time. Cheika is adamant performances will improve under Schmidt when Australia play their first Test against Wales in July.
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“I would say I’ve had zero contact with Australian rugby since I left,” Cheika said. “I think they would have had Joe locked away for a while at that stage. He’s a top-flight coach. They had their man they wanted to get.
“He’s got excellent experience,both in provincial and club and in international[rugby] across Ireland and New Zealand. He’s super qualified to get the team playing much better.
“I would imagine they’re going to do a whole lot better than how it went at the World Cup. I think that was just the set of circumstances that imploded on them really and the pressure[took its] toll. Joe will be pretty steady when he goes there. He’s got a very experienced coaching group with him. I’d imagine that their results will improve pretty sharply.”