Cheika will lead his side out against Ospreys at the Royal Dublin Society ground on Saturday for the final time before departing to take the reins at Stade Francais.

And Gaffney, Declan Kidney’s new full-time assistant with the national side, believes the Top 14 side have found themselves a great coach after he has seen him improve with the Irish side.

He said: "He's seen that sometimes more is not better. Every coach does that I think.

“If they're open and honest, every coach should evolve. There are things you should pick up every day of the week.

“It doesn't necessarily have to be how a nine passes the ball, just how you approach things. But I think he is getting more maturity as time goes by and he probably doesn't yell at the referees and touch judges as much as he once did.”