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'I haven't had anything to do with them' - Cheika denies Gloucester talks but admits to interest from Europe

Michael Cheika had been linked with a move to Gloucester. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Former Wallabies boss Michael Cheika has distanced himself from a move to Gloucester. The Premiership side have been a linked with a number of high profile coaches since head coach Johann Ackermann and director of rugby David Humphreys left the club last month.

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Cheika was said to have been high Gloucester’s list of targets, with the club indicating that they were hopeful of announcing new appointments in early July.

The Former World Rugby Coach of the Year stepped away from the Australia job following last year’s Rugby World Cup.

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But, speaking to Rugby Australia’s official website, Cheika has denied having any contact with Gloucester, although he did admit that there has been interest from other teams in Europe.

“I went to Europe earlier in the year, two times between January and March and had discussions with a few different people around what could happen going forward around opportunity,” Cheika said.

“For me, the important thing for next is making sure it’s the right people that I get to work with right club and that it’s the right time for someone like me.

“Coaches don’t always fit, you want to be the right person and for it be a team that will use the skill sets short to medium term.”

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Cheika added that he has had no contact with Gloucester.

“I haven’t had anything to do with them,” he said.

“They’ve always been a good team, I only know of them as an opponent.

“From my time with Leinster, Stade Francais and even Padova, even then maybe came up against them once.

“It’s nothing I’m involved with at the moment.”

Cheika hasn’t worked in the northern hemisphere since leaving Stade Francais in 2012.

He also enjoyed a successful five-year stint with Leinster from 2005-2010, where he won a Celtic League title in 2008 before helping the club to their first Heineken Cup success the following year.

And Cheika said he will be patient in searching for a new challenge.

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“There’s opportunity but I think it’s what lines up with what I want to do,” Cheika added.

“I’m hungry to be involved (in coaching,) I’m still ambitious to win and be part of that team environment but it always depends on who it’s with and what’s right.”

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Bull Shark 3 hours ago
Rassie Erasmus' Boks selection policy is becoming bizarre

To be fair, the only thing that drives engagement on this site is over the top critiques of Southern Hemisphere teams.


Or articles about people on podcasts criticizing southern hemisphere teams.


Articles regarding the Northern Hemisphere tend to be more positive than critical. I guess to also rile up kiwis and Saffers who seem to be the majority of followers in the comments section. There seems to be a whole department dedicated to Ireland’s world ranking news.


Despite being dialled into the Northern edition - I know sweet fokall about what’s going on in France.


And even less than fokall about what’s cutting in Japan - which has a fast growing, increasingly premium League competition emerging.


And let’s not talk about the pacific. Do they even play rugby Down there.


Oh and the Americas. I’ve read more articles about a young, stargazing Welshman’s foray into NFL than I have anything related to either the north and south continents of the Americas.


I will give credit that the women’s game is getting decent airtime. But for the rest and the above; it’s just pathetic coming from a World Rugby website.


Just consider the innovation emerging in Japan with the pedigree of coaches over there.


There’s so much good we could be reading.


Instead it’s unimaginative “critical for the sake of feigning controversial”. Which is lazy, because in order to pull that off all you need to be really good at is:


1. Being a doos;

2. Having an opinion.


No prior experience needed.


Which is not journalism. That’s like all or most of us in the comments section. People like Finn (who I believe is a RP contributor).


Anyway. Hopefully it will get better. The game is growing and the interest in the game is growing. Maybe it will attract more qualified journalists over time.

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