Michael Cheika seen meeting Rugby Australia boss amid speculation he could return to Wallabies role

The Australian was in charge of the Wallabies for five years from 2014

Michael Cheika finishes with Leicester at the end of the season (PA Wire)

Former Australian boss Michael Cheika met with Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh on Tuesday, raising speculation he is among candidates to succeed Joe Schmidt at the helm of the Wallabies.

Cheika met Waugh at a Sydney restaurant, Australian media reported.

The Australian was in charge of the national team for 68 tests from 2014-19, before leaving the role in acrimony after the Wallabies crashed out of the 2019 Rugby World Cup quarter finals in Japan.

Cheika later took over as Argentina head coach and left the role after guiding the Pumas to the 2023 World Cup semi-finals.

He is currently coach of Leicester Tigers but will exit the club at the end of the season.

Cheika has also been floated as a possible replacement to Warren Gatland at Wales. Gatland’s reign as Wales head coach ended after a Six Nations defeat to Italy.

Warren Gatland has left the Wales head coach role (PA Wire)

Schmidt will end his reign as Wallabies coach in October after this year's Rugby Championship, dashing local hopes the highly-regarded New Zealander would stay on until the 2027 World Cup.

Rugby Australia (RA) declined to comment on the meeting but Waugh said in a statement that the governing body had made a targeted shortlist and received a high level of interest from "quality candidates around the world".

RA hopes to confirm Schmidt's successor in coming weeks.

Former Ireland flyhalf Ronan O'Gara, the head coach of French club La Rochelle, has thrown his hat in the ring for the job, while Australian Super Rugby coaches Les Kiss, Dan McKellar and Stephen Larkham are all considered to be in the frame.

Queensland Reds coach Kiss said on Wednesday he had spoken with RA but declined to comment on whether he was interested in the role.

"It is open knowledge that RA have spoken to all the coaches in Australia," he told reporters.

The new Wallabies coach's first job will be preparing the squad for a season-ending northern hemisphere tour starting in Tokyo against Eddie Jones's Japan on 25 October.

Australia will then meet England at Twickenham on November 1 followed by tests against Italy, Ireland and France, RA confirmed on Wednesday.