Parling to replace Cheika as Leicester head coach

LONDON: Former Leicester Tigers player Geoff Parling will replace Michael Cheika as head coach for next season once his assistant role with Australia ends, the English Premiership club said on Monday.

Former Australia coach Cheika will leave when his contract expires at the end of the campaign, with the club always aware he would depart after one year in the job.

The 41-year-old Parling, who won two Premiership titles with Leicester in six years at the club, was assistant coach for the Melbourne Rebels before returning for a second spell with the Wallabies as part of Joe Schmidt’s staff.

“I was lucky enough to have some incredible moments in the Leicester Tigers jersey, made through hard work by good people, and so I am extremely proud to be coming back to lead the club,” Parling said in a Leicester statement.

The former lock, who made 29 appearances for England, also played three times for the British & Irish Lions during the 2013 series when they beat Australia, and will be the lineout coach for the Lions in this year’s series there.

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“There are not many opportunities that would make myself and my family think about leaving Australia, the place we’ve called home for the past seven years,” Parling added.

“But coming back to Leicester Tigers is one that we are really looking forward to.”

Leicester announced Cheika’s departure at the end of January and the former Wallabies coach met with Australia CEO Phil Waugh in February, fuelling speculation that he would return to the Australia job when Schmidt stepped down.

However, Les Kiss has since been confirmed as the successor to Schmidt, who had been expected to leave in October but agreed to remain until July 2026.