Northern Edition
Select Edition
Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

No repeat World Cup heroics for Wallabies suggests Michael Cheika's tenure will come to an end

Australia coach Michael Cheika. Photo / Getty Images

It was appropriate that Eddie Jones and England should deliver the knockout blow to Michael Cheika’s tenure as Wallabies coach.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cheika’s hopes of extending his contract beyond December 31 were skewered by a stark 40-16 Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat.

A Rugby Australia review into what went wrong in Japan is inevitable and is unlikely to reflect kindly on the 52-year-old, whose unsophisticated approach has been shown up over the past two years.

Cheika’s passion for the role could never be questioned since his appointment five years ago.

However, his proud boasts that he didn’t analyse opponents and that all-out attack and inspired players could overcome the world’s best became increasingly less convincing.

Video Spacer

His persona as a hot-headed coach routinely wronged by referees also lost any sense of charm.

The Jones-coached England were apt executioners in Oita on Saturday given the grief they have dished out.

Since Cheika scaled the heights of steering the Wallabies to the 2015 World Cup final, he has been completely eclipsed by a grinning Jones.

ADVERTISEMENT

Seven losses from seven. Six by big margins.

The most critical result was England’s historic 2016 series sweep in Australia, stripping much of the goodwill from a year earlier.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3zYcEsgSWv/

Consistency eluded Cheika’s teams from that point on, his job not helped by off-field issues plaguing the sport and a tepid production line of quality players emerging from Australia’s Super Rugby teams.

Nine losses from 13 Tests in 2018 was the Wallabies’ worst calendar year.

Calls for Cheika’s head mounted and reports that Rugby Australia couldn’t afford to sack him were refuted.

Dumped attack coach Stephen Larkham was seemingly a sacrificial lamb.

ADVERTISEMENT

Speculation the Wallabies had climbed straight out of their hole this year with a record triumph against the All Blacks in Perth proved to be fool’s gold.

Their World Cup hopes were stymied by a selection revolving door and the newly-introduced tactic to rarely kick the ball, because “it’s not the Australian way”.

Cheika’s 50 per cent winning record is the equal worst by any Wallabies coach since 1982, matching his immediate predecessor Ewen McKenzie.

Heart on his sleeve to the end, an emotional Cheika wouldn’t confirm his departure in the immediate wake of the Oita humbling.

However, he’ll soon be free to link with French club Montpellier, if the media reports are accurate, and Australia can set about a sizeable restoration process.

– AAP

It was an understandably sombre mood at the Wallabies’ post-match press conference on Saturday evening:

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

KOKO Show | July 22nd | Full Throttle with Brisbane Test Review and Melbourne Preview

New Zealand v South Africa | World Rugby U20 Championship | Extended Highlights

USA vs England | Men's International | Full Match Replay

France v Argentina | World Rugby U20 Championship | Extended Highlights

Lions Share | Episode 4

Zimbabwe vs Namibia | Rugby Africa Cup Final | Full Match Replay

USA vs Fiji | Women's International | Full Match Replay

Tattoos & Rugby: Why are tattoos so popular with sportspeople? | Amber Schonert | Rugby Rising Locker Room Season 2

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
Jfp123 17 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

It will be great if Jalibert improves in defence, but unless and until he improves substantially, I think he should be out of the running for the national team. If you look at the French A side, attack is not usually so much of a problem - they scored 200 points in the last 6 nations without MJ on the pitch. Defence however can be an issue, Penaud isn’t the greatest in that area for a start. So a 10 who is solid in defence is badly needed. And given his poor defence record, MJ would be bound to be targeted by shrewd coaches like Rassi and Razor, so he needs to be able to withstand that.

Also, given sufficient improvement in defence, there are still factors which tell against MJ. I think the 7/1 bench has been a very successful experiment, and for that you need flexible backs who can play in more than one position in case of injury. Then there’s how well the 10 plays with France’s best 9, Dupont. And even if you think MJ is better when there’s no Dupont or 7/1 split, stability in a test team is important, so it’s better not to go chopping and changing the 10 needlessly. There’s also the question of temperament - MJ doesn’t shine at his brightest when it really matters, eg WC quarters and Top14 finals, and look at his test record over the past 2 years.

I see Ntamack as by far the best option at 10. Rugby is a team game, and apart from his excellent defence, there’s his partnership with Dupont, his versatility, and all the other skills that go to making a great team player and a great 10. He’s excellent under the high ball, an area where France tend to have a weakness, and has fine strategic and team management skills, great handling skills and so on.

While having star quality is important, it’s not the be all and end all, as illustrated by UBB this season. Imo, though undoubtedly very good, they underperformed. With best wings, best 9, as Dupont barely played in the Top14, with Jalibert and leading centres and 15, plus a strengthened forward pack, they couldn’t match ST in points scored, despite the latter’s huge injury list which left some positions seriously weakened, at least on paper.

For next season, I hope ST are back to their scintillating best with injuries healed, that LBB is back to rude health for UBB, that the exciting promise of La Rochelle’s and Toulon’s new recruits bears fruit, Bayonne continue to defy their budget and we have a cracking, highly competitive Top14 and Les Bleus triumphant in the autumn internationals and six nations!

259 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING British & Irish Lions player ratings vs First Nations & Pasifika XV | 2025 British & Irish Lions player ratings vs First Nations & Pasifika XV