Wallabies coach Michael Cheika tipped to move to league after Rugby World Cup

Wallabies' coach Michael Cheika has been linked to a move to the NRL.

Writing in the Sydney Morning Herald, Andrew Webster said many believe Cheika might look to the rival code when his contract ends with Aussie rugby at the end of next year's World Cup in Japan.

Cheika comes from a league background, playing the game for Marcellin College at Randwick before switching to rugby for Randwick and the Wallabies.

''He continues to have a genuine synergy with league, swapping ideas with leading NRL coaches and players. He doesn't see league as a rival code but one to learn from and share ideas with,'' said Webster.

He's ushered a handful of NRL stars through the Wallabies ranks, including former Storm winger Marika Koroibete, who likens Cheika to Melbourne mastercoach Craig Bellamy.

"They both like the physicality of the game," Koroibete said. "They are very similar."

Cheika didn't want to discuss the idea out of respect for tomorrow's showdown with the All Blacks.

"It would certainly be interesting," Cheika said. "People probably bring that up because I was brought up with league. But I don't want to talk about that publicly given we're about to play a Bledisloe."

One person who does think Cheika could make it is NSW coach Brad Fittler, which doesn't surprise because both of them like to think outside the box.

"Oh, he'd go good," Fittler said. "He knows league well. He grew up with it, he played it, all his good mates played it. He acknowledges that league can help union. He's got a level of wisdom — and I don't know if there's much wisdom around."