Wallabies great Drew Mitchell has talked up the prospect of an improbable reunion between Michael Cheika and the Waratahs, describing the job as "the perfect situation for him."
NSW are in the market for a new coach following the controversial axing of Kiwi Rob Penney on Sunday following a winless start to the Super Rugby season.
Penney's assistants, Jason Gilmore and Chris Whitaker, have been handed the reins for the remainder of the campaign, with Waratahs chief executive Paul Doorn stating he wants a 'permanent' coach in place by September.
The Waratahs were much improved in Friday's 24-22 loss to the Brumbies, which dropped them to 0-6 for the season.
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Watching on at the Sydney Cricket Ground was Cheika, alongside Roosters coach Trent Robinson.
He is yet to state publicly whether he is interested in the gig, but Stan Sport colleague Mitchell said the match made too much sense.
"From previous experience, seeing what Michael Cheika's done with other teams, also being part of some of those teams as well, this is sort of the perfect situation for him, for a Michael Cheika type of rebuild," Mitchell said.
"That's what he does best, coming in when a team is under pressure, under turmoil, he comes in and just sweeps it out and gets what he wants.
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"Because that's what he needs and for a head coach to perform and be judged on their performance, they need to be able to do it in the way that they want to do it.
"And it seems like Rob Penney wasn't able to do that, in terms of getting new players in and spending that full amount of the salary cap."
Cheika coached the Waratahs between 2013-15 and led the club to its first and only Super Rugby title in 2014.
He then took the reins of the Wallabies from 2014-19 and has served as an assistant coach with Argentina and as a consultant with the Roosters since.
Mitchell played under Cheika for Australia and NSW and said his powerful personality was the right one as the Waratahs look to add quality and experience to a young roster.
"Someone like a Michael Cheika, they have to be strong, they have to be the type that come in and actually lead the franchise," Mitchell said.
"I've experienced no-one better to do that than Michael Cheika.
"But who knows, obviously there's going to be candidates all around the world that put their hand up because it is a treasured role for anyone in rugby."
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