With just two wins from 12 matches and sitting in the wooden-spoon position, the Waratahs announced Coleman's third season at the helm would be his last.
He will coach the remaining two rounds against Moana Pasifika in Auckland and the Queensland Reds at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.Coleman took the Waratahs to the quarter-finals in 2022 and 2023 but the injury-ravaged side has struggled badly this season.
A number of players have already announced their departure at the end of the current campaign while captain Jake Gordon sought a release from his contract that was denied by Rugby Australia.
Coleman led the Waratahs to the quarter-finals in 2022 and '23 but has paid the price for this year. (Jason O'BRIEN/AAP PHOTOS)
Waratahs boss Paul Doorn, who called a press conference with Coleman for Tuesday, acknowledged the coach's contribution to the club."During his tenure, Darren has brought a deep connection to rugby in NSW, especially the Shute Shield, a passion for the game, and dedication to the team," Doorn said in a statement."His leadership of the program has always been very authentic, and he has built genuine connections with staff, players and Waratah fans. "His instillment of 'Tah Tough' to the team's on-field performances has been commendable, fostering a culture of teamwork and hard grind."The decision not to extend Darren's contract was made after careful consideration and evaluation of the high-performance function, the team's performance, and the future objectives of our organisation."
The club said they had started the process to find Coleman's replacement.
Following their 27-7 loss to the Western Force in Perth last Saturday night, Coleman said he hoped to rally the players for their final two games to avoid the wooden spoon.
The Waratahs (12 points) can leapfrog 11th-placed Moana Pasifika (14 points) when they face off next Saturday.
The 10th-placed Crusaders (15 points) are also within touching distance of the Waratahs.
"No-one wants that wooden spoon, so we'll busting our arse to finish with two more wins and perform better than we did (against the Force)," Coleman said after the match.
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