Leicester Tigers name Geoff Parling to replace Cheika as head coach
PREMIERSHIP CLUB LEICESTER have named former England and Lions lock Geoff Parling as their new head coach from next season, replacing the departing Michael Cheika.
The 41-year-old, who won two English Premiership titles with Leicester as a player, is currently an assistant coach under Joe Schmidt with Australia.
He will remain with the Wallabies for the Test series against the Lions in July and early August before taking charge at Welford Road, where Cheika has been at the helm for just one season.
Advertisement
Parling won 29 England caps and featured in all three Tests when the Lions beat Australia 2-1 in 2013.
He joined the Wallabies as forwards coach in 2020, having previously worked with the Melbourne Rebels.
'I was lucky enough to have some incredible moments in the Leicester Tigers jersey, made through hard work by good people, and so I am extremely proud to be coming back to lead the club,' Parling said.
'There are not many opportunities that would make myself and my family think about leaving Australia, the place we've called home for the past seven years, but coming back to Leicester Tigers is one that we are really looking forward to.'
Club chairman Tom Scott said Parling was a 'high-calibre coach and strong leader' who knew the club from his time as a player.
Rugby Australia director of high performance Peter Horne said: 'Geoff has given his heart and soul to Australian rugby and for that we are very grateful.'
Cheika's Leicester are second in the Premiership table ahead of the final two rounds of regular season fixtures, strongly placed to reach the play-offs.
– © AFP 2025

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The 42
2 hours ago
- The 42
Finlay Bealham called up to Lions squad as Fagerson ruled out
FINLAY BEALHAM HAS been called up to the 2025 British & Irish Lions squad, with Zandar Fagerson ruled out through injury. As reported by The 42 yesterday, the Ireland and Connacht prop gets the nod from Andy Farrell. The first available players linked up in Dublin today ahead of a six-day training camp in Portugal. The squad will travel to Quinta do Lago tomorrow, with players involved in the URC and Premiership Rugby finals joining the set-up in Ireland next week ahead of the Argentina clash. Bealham replaces Scotland and Glasgow Warriors prop Fagerson, who misses the Tour with a calf injury. Farrell named Tadhg Furlong and Will Stuart as the other tighthead props in his initial 38-man group last month; Furlong is also sidelined due to injury, while Stuart will be involved in next weekend's Premiership final with Bath. England's Jamie George and Asher Opoku-Fordjour will also travel to Portugal to train with the squad. 'It's tough on Zander to miss out so close to the Tour, but now Finlay gets an opportunity to come in and add to the group. This is unfortunately part and parcel of the game, so we always have to be prepared for that,' said Farrell. 'But it's great to be finally at the stage where we can get onto the training ground and get to work with these players. 'Portugal will be really important for us as we look to get our house in order with only a few training sessions before we take on Argentina in the 1888 Cup in Dublin.' The British & Irish Lions Squad (Portugal Camp) Forwards: Finlay Bealham (Connacht Rugby/Ireland) Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland) #838 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks/England) #851 Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland) Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England) #853 Ben Earl (Saracens/England) Jamie George (Saracens/England) #819 Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England) Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) #825 (C) Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales) Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks/England) Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/England) Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland) Advertisement Backs: Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland) #837 Elliot Daly (Saracens/England) #822 Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England) Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby/Ireland) Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland) Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England) Fin Smith (Northampton Saints/England) Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England) #855 Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland) Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland) #841 Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby/Wales) Fixtures 20 June: The Lions v Argentina, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, KO 8pm 28 June: Western Force v The Lions, Optus Stadium, Perth, KO 10:45am 2 July: Queensland Reds v The Lions, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, KO 10:45am 5 July: NSW Waratahs v The Lions, Allianz Stadium, Sydney, KO 10:45am 9 July: ACT Brumbies v The Lions, Gio Stadium, Canberra, KO 10:45am 12 July: Invitational AU & NZ v The Lions, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, KO 10:15am 19 July: Wallabies v The Lions, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, KO 10:45am 22 July: First Nations & Pasifika XV v The Lions, Marvel Stadium, Melbourne, KO 10:45am 26 July: Wallabies v The Lions, MCG, Melbourne, KO 10:45am 2 August: Wallabies v The Lions, Accor Stadium, Sydney, KO 10:45am


Irish Examiner
4 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Connacht's Finlay Bealham called into the British and Irish Lions squad
Connacht and Ireland prop Finlay Bealham has been added to the British & Irish Lions squad for next month's tour to Australia following the withdrawal of Scotland's Zander Fagerson, due to injury. The Connacht tighthead, with 51 Ireland caps, joined the group of 23 other available players which has assembled in Dublin ahead of departure for a six-day training camp in Portugal, with the squad set to leave for Quinta Do Lago on the Algarve on Tuesday. Head coach Andy Farrell will be without his selected players from URC finalists Leinster, and English Premiership finalists Bath and Leicester Tigers, whose domestic finals take place this Saturday, while Blair Kinghorn remains in Toulouse for the Top 14 play-offs. In addition to tour replacement Bealham, with Fagerson ruled out with a calf injury, Farrell has also added two-time Lions tourist Jamie George and fellow front-rower Asher Opoku-Fordjur for the Portugal training camp as cover at hooker and prop respectively. Saracens hooker George, who was a Test selection on the 2017 and 2021 tours to New Zealand and then South Africa, will stand in with two of Farrell's hookers on Leinster duty, Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher. Sale's Opoku-Fordjur is a potential touring replacement for injured Irish tighthead Tadhg Furlong, though the one-cap Englishman can play on both sides of the scrum. Bealham's inclusion will bring the total Ireland representation, for now, to 16, although with 12 of them from Leinster, there will be four Irishmen in Portugal, the prop joining Munster's Tadhg Beirne and provincial team-mates Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen as preparations on the training field get underway ahead of a pre-tour 1888 Cup fixture against Argentina at a sold-out Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Friday, June 20. The squad flies to Perth the following day and opens its tour against Western Force on June 28 with the first Test against the Wallabies on July 19. Head coach Farrell commiserated with the injured Fagerson and said: 'It's tough on Zander to miss out so close to the Tour, but now Finlay gets an opportunity to come in and add to the group. This is unfortunately part and parcel of the game, so we always have to be prepared for that. 'But it's great to finally be at the stage where we can get onto the training ground and get to work with these players. 'Portugal will be really important for us as we look to get our house in order with only a few training sessions before we take on Argentina in the 1888 Cup in Dublin.' British & Irish Lions Squad (Portugal Camp) Forwards (13): Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Ireland), Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Ireland), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks/England), Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England), Ben Earl (Saracens/England), Jamie George (Saracens/England), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England), Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) – captain, Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks/England), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/England), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh/Scotland). Backs (11): Bundee Aki (Connacht/Ireland), Elliot Daly (Saracens/England), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England), Mack Hansen (Connacht/Ireland), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England), Fin Smith (Northampton Saints/England), Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh/Scotland), Tomos Williams (Gloucester/Wales).


RTÉ News
4 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Connacht's Finlay Bealham called up to British and Lions squad in place of Zander Fagerson
Connacht and Ireland prop Finlay Bealham has been called up to the British and Irish Lions squad. The 33-year-old tighthead replaces Scotland's Zander Fagerson after the Glasgow forward was ruled out of the trip to Australia with a calf injury. Bealham made his Ireland debut in 2016 and has 51 international caps with two Six Nation titles to his name. His inclusion takes the tally of Ireland players for the tour to 16, including Connacht team-mates Mack Hansen and Bundee Aki. The Lions are currently in Dublin and will travel to Portugal for a training camp tomorrow before returning next week to prepare for their opening game, against Argentina in Aviva Stadium on Friday week. Lions head coach Andy Farrell said: "It's tough on Zander to miss out so close to the tour, but now Finlay gets an opportunity to come in and add to the group. "This is unfortunately part and parcel of the game, so we always have to be prepared for that. "But it's great to finally be at the stage where we can get onto the training ground and get to work with these players. "Portugal will be really important for us as we look to get our house in order with only a few training sessions before we take on Argentina in the 1888 Cup in Dublin." Players involved in the Premiership Rugby and URC final between Leinster and Bulls on Saturday, remain with their clubs until next week. England's Jamie George and Asher Opoku-Fordjour will also travel to Portugal to train with the squad. Saracens hooker George was a Lions Tourist in 2017 and 2021 - while Sale Sharks prop Opoku-Fordjour made his debut for England against Japan last November.