Roosters assistant coach Michael Cheika is being linked to the Waratahs in a Rugby World Cup year. (Steven Markham/AAP PHOTOS)Roosters assistant coach Michael Cheika is being linked to the Waratahs in a Rugby World Cup year. (Steven Markham/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAPRugby Australia boss Phil Waugh has danced around the prospect of Michael Cheika's NSW Waratahs return as the search for a new coach narrowed. It's understood former Waratahs and Wallabies coach Cheika, currently on a one-year deal as an assistant with the NRL's Sydney Roosters, has not yet applied for the role. "I don't like to anchor myself to timelines when it comes to coaching announcements, but we're conscious of getting the right person and the importance of a successful Waratahs in a World Cup year."