New Waratahs set-piece coach Michael Foley says NSW may need to look overseas to fill the void left by departing forwards Dan Vickerman, Rocky Elsom and David Lyons.

The current Wallabies assistant will link with NSW in January to work under new head coach Chris Hickey.

And Foley believes the Waratahs may need to make use of a new rule which will allow Australia's Super 14 sides to sign foreign players.

"Losing Vickerman, Elsom and Lyons is a really, really big hole in that Waratah forward pack, let alone the Waratah team," Foley told reporters at the Wallabies' Cape Town base.

"That's something that really we need to focus on and it's an opportunity for other guys to step up, so that's a challenge.

"The Waratahs do need to replace those guys and there's a fine line there, you'll have some good young talent and it's whether or not they're ready.

"The relaxation of being able to look at some other players (overseas) certainly gives you that option of bringing in maybe some seniority which ushers through the junior guys."

Foley joins the Waratahs after a tumultuous 2008 during which the team made the Super 14 final despite the early announcement that coach Ewen McKenzie's five-year reign would end.

A period of uncertainty followed as Hickey was lined up as McKenzie's replacement.

But Foley said the ups and downs would have built character among the players.

"What I saw from slightly arm's length - but I did spend a bit of time with the Tahs this year - was a pretty good values system if you like within the team," he said.

"They really did cling together in very difficult times."

He said that environment would help him with bringing young forwards through to replace Europe-bound Vickerman, Elsom and Lyons.

"There's no substituting that experience but at the same time I think what you will have is younger guys stepping into a group that has a history of the right sort of mentality going into seasons and that's going to be helpful," Foley said.

Foley, who said he had initially discussed the job with McKenzie, said time with his family of four children was the prime motivator for taking the job, which will involve a move from Brisbane to the Central Coast.

In the meantime, he still has unfinished business with the Wallabies.

"I don't think you ever leave a job feeling like it's all done. You're always looking at what's next and how to improve," he said.

"I was offered the job initially for two years to the World Cup and I said, 'look, what I'm seeing it's going to take three years for discernible change'.

"On finishing the job my attitude is from now to the end of the year there's still a lot of improvement to be sought and gained but you walk away saying what I've promised I've hopefully delivered."

Wallabies head coach Robbie Deans said this week that Foley could have an ongoing role with the national side up until the expiry of his contract next March, something the former Australian hooker did not rule out.

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