Assistant Gibson to take over from Cheika as Waratahs coach

(Reuters) - New South Wales Waratahs assistant Daryl Gibson will take over from Michael Cheika as head coach from the 2016 season onwards, the Super Rugby champions said on Thursday. Gibson has assisted Cheika since his appointment at the end of 2012 and has previously coached at the Glasgow Warriors and the Canterbury Crusaders. The former All Blacks centre had signed a three-year contract, the team said. "Daryl has been an integral part of the creation of a culture which the club is now identified by, and his appointment will ensure that the players can build on the positive foundation which has been established by Michael Cheika," NSW CEO Greg Harris said in a statement. "Whilst this is Daryl's first head coaching appointment, he has played under, and coached with, several highly credentialled coaches including Wayne Smith, Steve Hansen, Todd Blackadder, and Robbie Deans," Harris said. "He brings an incredible wealth of football knowledge and experience to the position, and is very much a values and culture driven coach -- which is what the selection panel was also very impressed with." Cheika, who guided the Waratahs to their maiden Super Rugby title, will step down at the end of the season to concentrate on his primary role as coach of the national Wallabies team, who will bid for a third World Cup in England this year. The Waratahs are currently second behind the Canberra-based ACT Brumbies in the Australian conference as the southern hemisphere competition heads into its eighth round this weekend. (Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)