Former Wallabies hooker Michael Foley has been appointed head coach of the New South Wales Waratahs for the next three Super Rugby seasons.

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

Foley, 44, 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.

Scott Bowen will remain with the team as an assistant coach along with Alan Gaffney, who will join the Waratahs after Ireland's World Cup campaign in October, officials said.

"Michael has a reputation as one of the best technical coaches in the world and the respect he has from the playing group is second to none," Waratahs Rugby chief executive Jason Allen said.

"It is also fantastic to have Alan Gaffney come back to Sydney to once again be a part of Waratahs Rugby as the senior assistant coach.

"His results in European rugby over the last decade at provincial and international level are hugely impressive and the experience he brings will be of great assistance to both Michael and Scott."

Gaffney, 64, is the current backs coach for Ireland and has extensive coaching experience in Europe with Munster, Saracens and Leinster.

Hickey was the most successful Waratahs coach in rugby's professional era with a 64-percent winning record from 2009 to 2011. But he decided not to seek reappointment for the role.

The Waratahs have never won the southern hemisphere championship and finished fifth this season.

AFP