Michael Cheika has his say on who his successor should be... and it isn't Dave Rennie

Michael Cheika says the Wallabies’ next coach “definitely” should be Australian. Cheika returned to Sydney on Tuesday still disappointed by the Wallabies’ quarter-final exit from the World Cup, but with no regrets about standing down after five years at the helm.

He said: “I think definitely we should be pushing for an Australian coach. It’s not up to me but I think we should be backing and supporting Australian coaches wherever possible.”

Cheika was on record months ago as saying he would not seek a reappointment if he couldn’t take the Wallabies one step further than their runner-up showing at the 2015 edition in England.

“We came second last time, right, and I figure (after) four years you’ve got to come first next time,” he said at Sydney airport. “The way I see it, if you want to improve, you’ve got to call it and you’ve got to stay with your call.

Glasgow Warriors head coach Dave Rennie is reportedly a leading contender to succeed Cheika with the Wallabies after impressing in Glasgow since replacing Gregor Townsend in 2017.

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Australia were knocked out of the World Cup at the quarter-final stage by England on Saturday but New Zealand-born Rennie, who coached the Chiefs from 2012 to 2017, is under contract at Scotstoun until the end of the season.

Assistant coach John Dalziel hopes he will remain at the club for a long time to come. He said: “There is a lot of speculation about a lot of coaches all over.

“I just know we’re pretty focused on the job Dave has done here at Glasgow Warriors and we know that he’s fully committed here until the end of the season at least and possibly beyond.

– AAP/PA

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