Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Time is running out for Michael Cheika

Time is running out for Cheika's Wallabies to produce results.

Michael Cheika is already attempting to soften expectations for the Wallabies by declaring this is “the best Irish team ever” in the lead up to the first Test.

ADVERTISEMENT

“They’re coming down here as No 2 in the world,” he said.

“They can claim that they’re underdogs as much as they want but they’re certainly going to be the favourites.

Whilst Ireland is deservedly the world’s number two team, a number of front-line starters are missing for the first test, including linchpin Johnny Sexton. With captain Rory Best also set to miss the whole series, this team is materially different from the team that won the Grand Slam at Twickenham – which should really give the Wallabies an edge.

Regardless of who wears the underdog tag – the Wallabies need to win this Test series to prove they are any hope at the World Cup. This is a decisive point in the four-year cycle. Their appearance at the 2015 Rugby World Cup final has been succeeded by two poor years – both at Super Rugby and international level by Australian rugby.

Eddie Jones and his English side defeated Cheika’s side 3-0 at home in the June Tests in 2016, a deflating World Cup encore which led to a downward spiral. Swept by New Zealand, they managed a lone win over South Africa and two over Argentina during the Rugby Championship.

They fared a little better during their 2016 End of Year Tour, finishing 3-2 with wins over Wales, Scotland, and France but they fell to Ireland and England to finish the year with a 40% win record.

The only respectable victories last year were against New Zealand and Wales as they bullied World Rugby doormats Italy, Japan and Fiji while maintaining the wood over Argentina. They finished the year with two embarrassing defeats over England and Scotland. Their win record against Tier 1 nations not named Italy and Argentina since the last World Cup is an unforgivable 27%.

ADVERTISEMENT

Cheika is renowned for his old school toughness and can bring that trait out in a side. His work at Leinster in the late 2000’s transformed them into a champion side, bringing in an edge that ex-players from that team praise about. The problem is that was a different era of rugby and game has changed dramatically. In this second era of professional rugby, the gap has closed. Every tier one nation is physical, brutally tough and fit. That is a pre-requisite and no longer a formula in itself for success. The differences are in clinical execution, decision-making, strategy and fundamental skills.

Video Spacer

Even Cheika’s Super Rugby success in 2014 with the Waratahs and World Cup run in 2015 are fast becoming relics of the past. The game evolves rapidly every two to three years with new styles of play and an ever-growing level of detail.

Those details that require laser-like precision are left wanting with Wallaby teams of late. Bonehead mistakes and basic errors plague Cheika’s Wallabies. There is little talk about creating space or use of skill with smart play, only ‘winning collisions’ with aggression and physicality.

There was hearsay that Eddie Jones knew if he beat Australia in the first test of that 2016 tour, they would win three-nil as he thought Cheika would thrash his side on the training paddock leaving them exhausted for the rest of the series. Did that actually happen? No idea. The history books will show England won three-nil though.

ADVERTISEMENT

There has been nothing to suggest that this side will do anything other than exit at the quarterfinal stages next year, at the hands of either France or England. They have enough brawn to beat minnows, but not enough brains to match it with the best.

This Australian team has world-class talent – David Pocock, Will Genia and Kurtley Beale have all returned to play in Australia, Israel Folau is here (for now) and Michael Hooper is ever-present. It’s time this team showed up to prove that whatever Cheika is doing, works.

Because it certainly hasn’t been.

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

Los Angeles SVNS | Day 1 | Pitch 2

LIVE

Los Angeles SVNS | Day 1

Boks Office | Episode 40 | The Steven Kitshoff Special

O2 Inside Line: All In | Episode 6 | Le Crunch

The Unexpected Journey to USA 7s Glory | Aaron Cummings | Sevens Wonders

USA vs Japan | Full Match Replay

Yokohama Canon Eagles vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

Tackling reasons for drop-out in sport | Zainab Alema | Rugby Rising Locker Room

Jet Lag: The biggest challenge facing international sports? | The Report

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

P
Patience Anthony 23 minutes ago
Isikeli Rabitu sinks Reds with last-minute surge in Fiji

I remember the moment clearly staring at my empty wallet, heart sinking, hands clammy. My Bitcoin was gone. It had vanished into the digital void after I mistakenly clicked on a convincing phishing link. Weeks of saving, investing, and watching the market  gone in seconds. I tried everything contacted my wallet provider, scoured forums, filed reports. Nothing worked. Everyone told me the same thing: “Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”  I was on the verge of giving up when I came across a thread mentioning NanoAethosCoinRecovery. It sounded too good to be true like every other so called “recovery service”, but something about the way people described their professionalism gave me a sliver of hope. I reached out, expecting radio silence or empty promises. Instead, I got a prompt reply. They were direct, transparent, and cautious not promising miracles, but laying out a clear process. They asked for all relevant details, conducted a blockchain forensic analysis, and traced the stolen coins through layers of obfuscation and mixing. NanoAethosCoinRecovery didn’t just recover my Bitcoin they restored my faith in justice in the crypto world. I learned a hard lesson, but thanks to them, it didn’t end in defeat. Now, I triple-check every link I click, but I also know who to turn to if things go south again.

contact:

Whatsapp: +1 (570) 229-9724 Telegram:https://t.me/NanoAethos Email:  (NanoAethosCoinRecovery@engineer.com)

0 Go to comments
S
Sivan Levy 3 hours ago
15 of the Croke Park cast return for Saints

The day I realized I had been scammed was a Friday night that I had been eagerly looking forward to. I had planned to go out with friends to unwind and enjoy some well-deserved free time. With that in mind, I logged into my account to complete a simple peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange. I intended to convert some USDT to Dollars, a process I had done countless times before without a hitch. Naturally, I wasn’t expecting any problems. But to my shock and disbelief, after completing the transaction, I discovered that the 25,000 USDT I had just transferred was gone instantly. The merchant had vanished with my funds. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. My heart sank, and panic gripped me. What was I going to do? How could I ever recover that much cryptocurrency? In that moment, I felt like I had lost everything. The idea of recovering stolen crypto seemed almost impossible. I was devastated, unsure of where to turn or how to fix my mess. Looking for a solution, I reached out to a few close friends and explained what had happened. They were shocked and sympathetic, but having heard of similar cases, one of them suggested that I try TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY. They had dealt with situations like mine before and thought it might be worth reaching out to them. Without wasting any time, I contacted TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY, and their team jumped into action right away. They immediately identified the fraudulent merchant's wallet and used their specialized tools to trace the stolen funds. The speed with which they worked was impressive. They contacted major exchanges and coordinated efforts to freeze the transactions and block any further movement of my crypto. For the first time since the scam, I felt a glimmer of hope. TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY kept me updated throughout the entire process, ensuring I knew exactly what was happening every step of the way. Then, just when I thought it was too good to be true, the impossible happened: all 25,000 USDT were returned to me. It felt surreal. What had seemed like an insurmountable loss was reversed. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY, my funds were safely returned, and my faith in the crypto world was restored. If you’ve been scammed and feel hopeless, don’t give up. TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY provided me with exceptional recovery services and turned my loss into a success story. They saved my 25,000 USDT.     VISIT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY FOR SPECIAL HELP TO RETRIEVE YOUR LOST USDT     WhatsApp OR CALL  +.1.5.6.1.7.2.6.3.6.9.7

0 Go to comments
S
Sivan Levy 3 hours ago
15 of the Croke Park cast return for Saints

The day I realized I had been scammed was a Friday night that I had been eagerly looking forward to. I had planned to go out with friends to unwind and enjoy some well-deserved free time. With that in mind, I logged into my account to complete a simple peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange. I intended to convert some USDT to Dollars, a process I had done countless times before without a hitch. Naturally, I wasn’t expecting any problems. But to my shock and disbelief, after completing the transaction, I discovered that the 25,000 USDT I had just transferred was gone instantly. The merchant had vanished with my funds. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. My heart sank, and panic gripped me. What was I going to do? How could I ever recover that much cryptocurrency? In that moment, I felt like I had lost everything. The idea of recovering stolen crypto seemed almost impossible. I was devastated, unsure of where to turn or how to fix my mess. Looking for a solution, I reached out to a few close friends and explained what had happened. They were shocked and sympathetic, but having heard of similar cases, one of them suggested that I try TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY. They had dealt with situations like mine before and thought it might be worth reaching out to them. Without wasting any time, I contacted TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY, and their team jumped into action right away. They immediately identified the fraudulent merchant's wallet and used their specialized tools to trace the stolen funds. The speed with which they worked was impressive. They contacted major exchanges and coordinated efforts to freeze the transactions and block any further movement of my crypto. For the first time since the scam, I felt a glimmer of hope. TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY kept me updated throughout the entire process, ensuring I knew exactly what was happening every step of the way. Then, just when I thought it was too good to be true, the impossible happened: all 25,000 USDT were returned to me. It felt surreal. What had seemed like an insurmountable loss was reversed. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY, my funds were safely returned, and my faith in the crypto world was restored. If you’ve been scammed and feel hopeless, don’t give up. TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY provided me with exceptional recovery services and turned my loss into a success story. They saved my 25,000 USDT.     VISIT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY FOR SPECIAL HELP TO RETRIEVE YOUR LOST USDT     WhatsApp OR CALL  +.1.5.6.1.7.2.6.3.6.9.7

0 Go to comments
S
Sivan Levy 3 hours ago
Tusi Pisi confirms Manu Samoa coaching team and captain

The day I realized I had been scammed was a Friday night that I had been eagerly looking forward to. I had planned to go out with friends to unwind and enjoy some well-deserved free time. With that in mind, I logged into my account to complete a simple peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange. I intended to convert some USDT to Dollars, a process I had done countless times before without a hitch. Naturally, I wasn’t expecting any problems. But to my shock and disbelief, after completing the transaction, I discovered that the 25,000 USDT I had just transferred was gone instantly. The merchant had vanished with my funds. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. My heart sank, and panic gripped me. What was I going to do? How could I ever recover that much cryptocurrency? In that moment, I felt like I had lost everything. The idea of recovering stolen crypto seemed almost impossible. I was devastated, unsure of where to turn or how to fix my mess. Looking for a solution, I reached out to a few close friends and explained what had happened. They were shocked and sympathetic, but having heard of similar cases, one of them suggested that I try TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY. They had dealt with situations like mine before and thought it might be worth reaching out to them. Without wasting any time, I contacted TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY, and their team jumped into action right away. They immediately identified the fraudulent merchant's wallet and used their specialized tools to trace the stolen funds. The speed with which they worked was impressive. They contacted major exchanges and coordinated efforts to freeze the transactions and block any further movement of my crypto. For the first time since the scam, I felt a glimmer of hope. TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY kept me updated throughout the entire process, ensuring I knew exactly what was happening every step of the way. Then, just when I thought it was too good to be true, the impossible happened: all 25,000 USDT were returned to me. It felt surreal. What had seemed like an insurmountable loss was reversed. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY, my funds were safely returned, and my faith in the crypto world was restored. If you’ve been scammed and feel hopeless, don’t give up. TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY provided me with exceptional recovery services and turned my loss into a success story. They saved my 25,000 USDT.     VISIT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY FOR SPECIAL HELP TO RETRIEVE YOUR LOST USDT     WhatsApp OR CALL  +.1.5.6.1.7.2.6.3.6.9.7

0 Go to comments
R
Raymond Wealth 3 hours ago
Sharks clarify what's going on with Bok scrumhalf Grant Williams

I fight fires for a living, it's in my blood as a volunteer firefighter. But nothing could have prepared me for the fire that almost reduced my family's future to ashes. I had secretly accumulated $150,000 worth of Bitcoin over the years, intending to lock up my children's education and provide my wife with some leeway from our constant shift-work life. That was until a phishing attack struck me while I was out fighting a wildfire. The call had been on a hot afternoon. We were dashing to contain wildfires tearing across parched scrub lands. At such frantic moments, my phone pulsed with a security alert message from what looked like my Bitcoin wallet operator. Drenched with sweat, fatigue, and hyper adrenaline, I had clicked on the link and input my log-ins without questioning anything. I was tricked by hackers during my most vulnerable time. Hours later, returning to the station, I emptied my wallet. The harsh reality hit me with more force than any fire could ever have. My carefully saved safety net had vanished. My heart beat faster than the sirens. I felt as though I had failed my family. I explained my terror of burgers at our favorite local diner that evening to my friend. He leaned in close and whispered a single word: Digital Hack Recovery. He swore by their effectiveness, stating they worked miracles when his cousin had crypto stolen from him in a scam. I was skeptical old-school and desperate, so I called them. From the first call, their team treated me like family. They didn't only view figures; they viewed a husband and a father attempting to rectify a horrific error. They labored day and night, following stolen money through blockchain transactions like l detectives. Progress was made every day, translating intricate tech into fireman-speak. Ten days later, I got the call. “We recovered your Bitcoin.” I cried. Right there in the station, surrounded by smoke-stained gear, I let it all out. Relief. Gratitude. Hope they don't stop there. Knowing I worked in emergency services, Digital Hack Recovery offered to run an online security workshop for my entire fire department. They turned my disaster into a lesson that safeguarded my team. These folks don’t just recover wallets; they rebuild lives. They rebuilt mine. I fight fires for a living, it's in my blood as a volunteer firefighter. But nothing could have prepared me for the fire that almost reduced my family's future to ashes. I had secretly accumulated $150,000 worth of Bitcoin over the years, intending to lock up my children's education and provide my wife with some leeway from our constant shift-work life. That was until a phishing attack struck me while I was out fighting a wildfire. The call had been on a hot afternoon. We were dashing to contain wildfires tearing across parched scrub lands. At such frantic moments, my phone pulsed with a security alert message from what looked like my Bitcoin wallet operator. Drenched with sweat, fatigue, and hyper adrenaline, I had clicked on the link and input my log-ins without questioning anything. I was tricked by hackers during my most vulnerable time. Hours later, returning to the station, I emptied my wallet. The harsh reality hit me with more force than any fire could ever have. My carefully saved safety net had vanished. My heart beat faster than the sirens. I felt as though I had failed my family. I explained my terror of burgers at our favorite local diner that evening to my friend. He leaned in close and whispered a single word: Digital Hack Recovery. He swore by their effectiveness, stating they worked miracles when his cousin had crypto stolen from him in a scam. I was skeptical old-school and desperate, so I called them. From the first call, their team treated me like family. They didn't only view figures; they viewed a husband and a father attempting to rectify a horrific error. They labored day and night, following stolen money through blockchain transactions like l detectives. Progress was made every day, translating intricate tech into fireman-speak. Ten days later, I got the call. “We recovered your Bitcoin.” I cried. Right there in the station, surrounded by smoke-stained gear, I let it all out. Relief. Gratitude. Hope they don't stop there. Knowing I worked in emergency services, Digital Hack Recovery offered to run an online security workshop for my entire fire department. They turned my disaster into a lesson that safeguarded my team. These folks don’t just recover wallets; they rebuild lives. They rebuilt mine. Contact : WhatsApp : +1 4 743 537 719 Website : https://digitalhackrecovery.com Mail:digitalhackrecovery@techie.com

0 Go to comments
S
Sivan Levy 5 hours ago
Matt Banahan on an opportunity lost and gained for 'gun favourites' Bath

The day I realized I had been scammed was a Friday night that I had been eagerly looking forward to. I had planned to go out with friends to unwind and enjoy some well-deserved free time. With that in mind, I logged into my account to complete a simple peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange. I intended to convert some USDT to Dollars, a process I had done countless times before without a hitch. Naturally, I wasn’t expecting any problems. But to my shock and disbelief, after completing the transaction, I discovered that the 25,000 USDT I had just transferred was gone instantly. The merchant had vanished with my funds. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. My heart sank, and panic gripped me. What was I going to do? How could I ever recover that much cryptocurrency? In that moment, I felt like I had lost everything. The idea of recovering stolen crypto seemed almost impossible. I was devastated, unsure of where to turn or how to fix my mess. Looking for a solution, I reached out to a few close friends and explained what had happened. They were shocked and sympathetic, but having heard of similar cases, one of them suggested that I try TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY. They had dealt with situations like mine before and thought it might be worth reaching out to them. Without wasting any time, I contacted TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY, and their team jumped into action right away. They immediately identified the fraudulent merchant's wallet and used their specialized tools to trace the stolen funds. The speed with which they worked was impressive. They contacted major exchanges and coordinated efforts to freeze the transactions and block any further movement of my crypto. For the first time since the scam, I felt a glimmer of hope. TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY kept me updated throughout the entire process, ensuring I knew exactly what was happening every step of the way. Then, just when I thought it was too good to be true, the impossible happened: all 25,000 USDT were returned to me. It felt surreal. What had seemed like an insurmountable loss was reversed. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY, my funds were safely returned, and my faith in the crypto world was restored. If you’ve been scammed and feel hopeless, don’t give up. TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY provided me with exceptional recovery services and turned my loss into a success story. They saved my 25,000 USDT.     VISIT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY FOR SPECIAL HELP TO RETRIEVE YOUR LOST USDT     WhatsApp OR CALL  +.1.5.6.1.7.2.6.3.6.9.7

0 Go to comments
R
RedWarriors 7 hours ago
Joe Schmidt 'a little bit intimidated' ahead of brutal 12-game Wallabies run

Do you feel that not being in the top 6 wont be a problem for teams or do you believe that Australia will easily make it? Its not even clear what your position is. The whole article is about the intimidating schedule facing Schmidt and Australia including reaching the top 6 before Jan 1, 2026. You may not feel that is a problem for Australia but Schmidt sees it as a challenge and I agree with him. I also pointed out a year ago that this should and would be a focus for teams potentially fighting for a top 6.


You don’t understand re the RWC draw.

As it was taken after the RWC in 2019, Scotland were ranked 9th and were in the 3rd group of seedings. The idea of rankings being used is to provide even groups and a meritocratic draw. When the rankings are taken 4 years before this is not possible teams get better or worse over time. It works when you take the rankings snapshot as close to the tournament as possible. Thus the farcical draw we all witnessed and that World Rugby apologized for. Even teh rankings three years before teh tournament showed Scotland in the top 8 and given that they were ranked 5th when the tournament came around it is reasonable to assume that they make a QF. They would not have been de facto eliminated from their pool by the draw (in a pool with then World #1 Ireland and World Champions SA). Likewise England (and Wales) would not have got the facile draw they did.

This is what the rankings tell us. Thus we can say that much or all of the 6.5 ranking point swing from Scotland to (fellow top 6 hopeful) England would not have happenned but for the joke draw.


If Australia play Argentina first and gain ranking points they may lose these points versus SA. Although Australia are too far behind NOW to lose ranking points to SA, this may not be the case later in the year especially if Australia were scheduled to play SA later in the RC.

13 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING The radical move Freddie Steward eyes as 'way back in' to England team The radical move Freddie Steward eyes as 'way back in' to England team
Search