Head coach Cheika to leave Tigers at end of season
Michael Cheika will step down as Leicester Tigers head coach when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The 57-year-old took the job last summer on a one-year deal after being appointed just a week after fellow Australian Dan McKellar left by mutual consent.
Tigers, who are fourth in the Premiership table and have reached the last 16 of the European Champions Cup, are now looking for their ninth new head coach in less than nine years.
It was reported last week that Tigers are understood to have already spoken to celebrated former Leicester prop and ex-Munster head coach Graham Rowntree as a potential replacement.
Confirmation that former Australia and Argentina head coach Cheika will not stay at Mattioli Woods Welford Road comes a week after he said Tigers' heavy 80-12 defeat by Toulouse in the Champions Cup had pushed back talks about his future.
At the time, he spoke about how a decade away from the week-to-week demands of club rugby, as well as the speed of the appointment, were among the reasons why he committed to only a year.
Tigers chief executive Andrea Pinchen has said Cheika's departure comes a blow, but not as a surprise.
"While disappointed, given the positive influence Michael has had since joining us in the summer, we were always aware of this being a one-year deal and we have been transparent with players, staff, and supporters on that point," Pinchen told the club website.
"As we have said throughout Michael's tenure, we would have liked to have extended his time in the head coach role but understand why that can't happen."
Cheika has Tigers fourth in the Premiership table, having overseen six league wins from 11 to date.
And while he has also guided them into the knockout stage of Europe's biggest club competition, Tigers have also suffered record-breaking defeats during his tenure.
The loss against Toulouse was Leicester's heaviest in that competition, while they gave up a record amount of points at home in a Premiership game when beaten 54-24 by Bristol Bears in December.
Still, with Tigers in contention for titles under the decorated head coach - who previously guided NSW Waratahs to Super Rugby success and Leinster to European glory in the Heineken Cup in 2009 – hopes remain high that his tenure in the East Midlands will prove memorable.
"It goes without saying that Michael is fully committed to seeing out his time as head coach in a successful way, determined to add silverware to the trophy cabinet at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, and we are excited about what remains in this campaign," Pinchen added.
Fears of Tigers fans realised - analysis
BBC Radio Leicester's Adam Whitty
Leicester fans feared this may be the case as time progressed, and with a one-year deal this was always a possibility.
Cheika signed on last minute after Dan McKellar's dramatic exit last year, almost to help the club out, if anything. With his family back home in Australia, he couldn't be a family man there, and a professional sports coach in Leicester.
Tigers did well to get a coach of such pedigree at short notice, and Leicester have made improvements, particularly in their attack, but instability still reigns at Tigers.
Cheika's replacement will be their ninth head coach in nine years - they cannot succeed with churn like that.
The former Wallabies and Argentina head coach had started to expand Leicester's attack and style of play. With a new man in charge, with a new philosophy and style, Tigers can perhaps expect another transition season next year.
