Australia coach Michael Cheika, the international game’s ‘new kid on the block’, is proving to be a fast learner
Australia boss Michael Cheika maybe the new boy among the major rugby players but he has proved he learns fast. The Wallabies have won the southern nations’ Rugby Championship and reached the World Cup semi-finals in less than a year.
Australia boss Michael Cheika maybe the new boy among the major rugby players but he has proved he learns fast.
The Wallabies have won the southern nations’ Rugby Championship and reached the World Cup semi-finals in less than a year.
Fly-half Bernard Foley’s last-minute penalty saw Australia to a 35-34 win over Scotland and a World Cup last-four place at Twickenham on Sunday after a major scare for the two-time world champions.
I am the junior member of the Rugby Championship, the other coaches, Daniel Hourcade [Argentina], Steve Hansen [New Zealand] and Heyneke Meyer [South Africa] have all got more experience than me
Cheika’s men now face Argentina at the weekend, with defending champions New Zealand taking on South Africa in the other last-four clash at Twickenham.
With no northern hemisphere team in the last four for the first time in Rugby World Cup history, the tournament now becomes a repeat of the Rugby Championship, which was shortened this year to make room in the calendar for the World Cup.
“It does mean everyone knows each other very well,” said Cheika, thrust into the job of Australia coach last year after the resignation of former boss Ewen McKenzie.
“I am the junior member of the Rugby Championship, the other coaches, Daniel Hourcade [Argentina], Steve Hansen [New Zealand] and Heyneke Meyer [South Africa] have all got more experience than me.
“But we will prepare as best we can and put a performance together on Sunday.”