French reports rule Michael Cheika out of Racing job

Michael Cheika could miss out on the top job with Racing 92 despite being linked with a move back to the Top 14 when his contract with Leicester Tigers runs out at the end of the season.

Cheika, 58, announced earlier this year that he wouldn’t be taking up the option for a second year on his contract at Welford Road and has been linked with Racing 92 and Wales, amongst other vacant positions.

The Australian had stints in the French capital with Stade Francais as a player, and then spent two years on the coaching staff between 2010 and 2012 before returning Down Under with the Waratahs and then the Wallabies.

It’s not the first time that he has been linked with a return to France since leaving Stade after being heavily tipped to join Montpellier when they were looking to replace Vern Cotter five years ago.

He is known to have had a Zoom call with Racing bosses, who have been looking for a new coach to join them later this summer after they parted company with former England boss Lancaster earlier in the year.

Former Racing lock and another ex-Stade Francais boss Karim Ghezal, now in charge of Lyon, has been linked with the job, as has current Stade director of rugby Laurent Labit, who spent six years in Les Ciel et Blanc hot seat.

However, it has now been reported in France that Racing could stick with Fabrice Collazo next season. Collazo has impressed club bosses after arriving on “fire-fighter” duty when they parted company with Lancaster.

Racing are now 11th in the Top 14 table and are nine points clear of bottom-placed Vannes, with a three-point gap between themselves and arch-rivals Stade after winning eight of 20 games this season.