Michael Cheika will link up with Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard next season after the former Australia and Argentina coach was unveiled as the new Leicester Tigers boss.

The English Premiership club on Thursday confirmed the appointment of Cheika from the 2024/25 campaign. He joins Tigers after a two-year stint as head coach of Los Pumas, who he led to fourth place at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

A European Cup and Celtic League winner with Leinster and Super Rugby winner with the Waratahs, Cheika has also coached at three Rugby World Cups – Argentina in 2023 and reaching the final with Australia in 2015 and quarter-finals in 2019 – as well as one Rugby League World Cup with Lebanon.

“We are very pleased to be able to appoint someone of Michael’s experience and history with success to the role of head coach,” Leicester Tigers CEO Andrea Pinchen said.

“He has, over more than two decades, achieved great success in winning trophies but also developing players, developing coaches and galvanising groups to be the best they can be.

“We want that, we need that and believe Michael is the right person to take this team, this club back to where we know we should be.”

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On his appointment, Cheika added: “Honestly, I wasn’t looking at the Premiership and didn’t have the desire to coach in it until Leicester Tigers came to me. But, the opportunity to coach at Tigers and lead this group of players turned my head.”

“I want this to be my best coaching yet. I want the preparation and the way we lead the team, to be at my best level. If I can bring my best level, other people will bring their best level and good things will start to happen around us.

“Everybody can see that it is a top-quality roster the club has. I am not going to lie and say I know every single one of them down to their bones but that’s what I will do over the next few months, to learn how to get the best out of them.

“But, the roster is only paper. It’s now about how the team gels, how to put these really good players and characters together and get them playing in a way that they love it and a way they love going out there, together, and representing Leicester Tigers.”

Photo: Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images

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