Wallabies assistant Richard Graham is in negotiations with the Australian Rugby Union and the Western Force about becoming the Super rugby franchise's head coach following the departure of John Mitchell.

Mitchell will cut short his stay at the Perth-based side by a year to make permanent his role at Johannesburg's Lions, where he will serve as head coach for the next three seasons.

Graham and ARU high performance unit manager David Nucifora are both currently in South Africa with the Wallabies as they work on whether the side's skills specialist can continue an unprecedented role with both teams.

"That's something that we need to sort out over the next few weeks but certainly the opportunity of leading the Western Force is one I'm looking forward to," Graham said.

With the Wallabies' spring tour running almost until December and Super rugby's pre-season beginning in January, Nucifora is hopeful of having the situation sorted out quickly.

"When we decided to utilise Richard's coaching skills at the Force and keep him on here at the Wallabies it was for the benefit of both teams," Nucifora said.

"That all changes now with Richard's offer to coach the Force coming forward by a year and that's something that we've just started talking with the Force about yesterday.

"It's not just a factor of whether we would like Richard to stay on, there's a lot more things involved around having head coaches working with the national team and all those things need to be thought through." Force captain Nathan Sharpe, who said he had received a text from Mitchell telling him of the decision, paid tribute to the New Zealander, whose time in Perth has not always been smooth sailing.

"Obviously a couple of years ago it was well documented the issues that went on and to his credit his response was nothing short of amazing," Sharpe said.

"One of the hardest things to do is to change the way you go about things and he certainly did a very good job of that and allowed the team to continue on in a fairly undistracted situation after a pretty hectic season." Force chairman Geoff Stooke had no doubt Graham was ready to take over the reins after serving as Mitchell's assistant last season.

"Richard has spent the year with John Mitchell and he also is in his second year with the Wallabies, so he's certainly had the exposure at the highest possible level of rugby and we feel he's ready to go, and he's extremely enthusiastic," Stooke said.

And should Graham be offered a head coaching role of a national side down the track, the Force won't stand in his way.

"We would always agree for a coach to take a national team even in the middle of a contract with us because it would be wrong to thwart someone's national ambitions," Force chief executive Vern Reid said.

"It's a possibility that's there now and will be in the future with Richard."

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