Michael Cheika has been named head coach of Argentina ahead of next year's Rugby World Cup in France. 

The former Wallabies coach replaces Mario Ledesma, who resigned last month after three years in charge. 

Cheika reportedly beat out former Pumas playmaker Gonzalo Quesada, head coach of French club Stade Francais, for the job. 

For the past two years Cheika has served as an assistant and external adviser during test windows. He helped the Pumas to their maiden win over the All Blacks in 2020. 

The 55-year-old coach has won titles with Irish club Leinster and the Waratahs in Super Rugby, and guided the Wallabies to the final of the 2015 World Cup in the UK a year after taking over the team. 

Following the Wallabies' disappointing World Cup quarter-final defeat in Japan in 2019, the country's worst result at the tournament, Cheika resigned after four years in charge. 

Cheika has signed with Argentina until the end of the 2023 World Cup.