Former Wallabies hooker and a member of the Fiji 15s coaching panel to next month’s Rugby World Cup, Michael Foley has been appointed head coach of the New South Wales Waratahs for the next three Super 15 seasons.

Foley replaces Chris Hickey after three seasons as an assistant coach and will become the Waratahs seventh coach in 16 years.

44 year old Foley was one of Australia’s most capped front row forwards and coached Bath in England before joining the Wallabies coaching staff in 2006 as a set piece specialist.

He remained with the national side for three years before joining the Waratahs at the start of the 2009 season.

Foley arrives in Fiji on Sunday after the naming of the Fiji team to the World Cup tomorrow.

FRU’s High Performance Unit Manager Talemo Waqa says Foley’s knowledge will assist Fiji a lot.