Former Leinster head coach Michael Cheika met with Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh on Tuesday, raising speculation the former Australia boss is among candidates to succeed Joe Schmidt at the helm of the Wallabies.
Cheika, who coached the Wallabies in 68 tests from 2014-19, met Waugh at a Sydney restaurant, Australian media reported.
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".
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.
Cheika is currently coach of Leicester Tigers but will exit the English club at the end of the season.
The 57-year-old transformed an underachieving Leinster into European Cup champions in 2009, nurturing the likes of Johnny Sexton, Rob Kearney and Cian Healy before handing over to New Zealand-born Schmidt who carried on the Australian's success.
Cheika has since worked his magic on home shores, guiding the Sydney-based New South Wales Waratahs to their maiden Super Rugby title in 2014 before lifting an unfancied Wallabies side to the World Cup final in England the following year.
He later took over as Argentina head coach and left the role after guiding the Pumas to the 2023 World Cup semi-finals.
RA hopes to confirm Schmidt's successor in coming weeks.
Former Ireland out-half and La Rochelle head coach Ronan O'Gara 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.
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