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Report: Michael Cheika set to remain Los Pumas coach until 2027
By Ben Smith
Former Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika intends to stay on as Los Pumas head coach until the end of the next Rugby World Cup according to a report.
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After joining the Argentina national side as an assistant under Mario Ledesma, Cheika took control of the side after Ledesma decided to step down after 2021.
Under Cheika’s watch Argentina qualified for the Rugby World Cup semi-finals after beating Wales at the quarter-final stage, although they narrowly missed out on bronze after losing to England in the third place playoff.
The 56-year-old has notified the UAR of his desire to coach through the next World Cup cycle according to Sergio Stuart of Ole Rugby and the UAR have signalled that they want to keep him.
According to Stuart, it is “just a matter of numbers” as they work on a new contract.
Gabriel Travaglini, president of the Argentine Union, told Ole: “We proposed to Cheika that he train until the end of the World Cup and organize the staff.
“He complied with that and intends to stay, so now we are analyzing it. We are making the best effort to have the best structure to face the next World Cup.”
Former Argentina international Felipe Contepomi, who is an assistant under Cheika, was originally earmarked to succeed the Australian.
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Contepomi, is believed to happy with his role and would stay on under Cheika, along with the rest of his coaching staff.
Argentina has a strong schedule in 2024 opening with two Tests at home against France in the July window.
A typically tough Rugby Championship will follow with two Tests away against New Zealand and a home and away series with South Africa. They will play Australia at home twice.
In the November window they are scheduled to play Italy, Ireland, and France.
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I hope he stays because he is a top coach, just what the Argies need
Argentina was really bad at the RWC. They looked like a poorly coached team; low skills, no structure, poor discipline. The list goes on.
I had expected better from a team coached by Cheika. Not that he’s the world’s greatest coach, but he’s not a palooka. Argentina should have won their pool comfortably. Instead England choked them out of the game and in the QF the ABs just put them to the sword.
Hopefully Cheika will actually do some coaching going into the RC.