Heineken Cup winning coach Michael Cheika has today been appointed the new director of rugby at Stade Francais Paris.
Cheika, who guided Leinster to Heineken Cup final glory at Murrayfield last May when Leo Cullen's team beat Leicester Tigers 19-16, had announced some time ago that he would be leaving Dublin at the end of this season after five years as head coach with the Irish province.
The Australian-born coach will move to the French capital to take overall control of Max Guazzini's cosmopolitan and star-studded squad as they bid to finally win the Heineken Cup after losing in the 2001 and 2005 finals.
Cheika, who also coached in Sydney and has taken Leinster into the Heineken Cup knock-out stages for the fourth time - where they will clash with ASM Clermont Auvergne in the quarter-finals at the RDS on Friday, 9 April - and during his spell with the province they have won 23 and drawn one of their 36 Heineken Cup matches.
Stade Francais Paris are also through to the last eight and will meet triple Heineken Cup winners Toulouse in the all-French match on Sunday, 11 April.
New Zealander Joe Schmidt, currently backs coach at ASM Clermont Auvergne, will be replacing Cheika at Leinster and the old and the new will come face to face at the RDS on 9 April when the two sides meet in the quarter-finals.
Cheika, the former New South Wales and Australia Under 21 cap, played in France for Castres Olympique and CASG Paris before heading to Italy to join Livorno. He then coached Padova in the Heineken Cup before joining Leinster
Speaking about Cheika's new appointment the Leinstr Chief Executive, Mick Dawson, said: "Michael has always been up front with his future plans which enabled us to make a smooth transition for next season and we thank him for that.
"We have no doubt that Stade Français will benefit from his man management and motivational skills, not to mention his coaching prowess, which has overseen the province's success in securing the Magners League and Heineken Cup titles over successive years.
"His pro-active nurturing of our up-and-coming talent in our Academy, coupled with the success of his signings in the transfer market, have helped Leinster become a more consistent force in both our domestic competition and in Europe and the province has benefited greatly from his leadership.
"Michael has instilled a culture of consistency, discipline and honesty and I have no doubt that he will bring these key principles to his new role."
