Australia to decide on Cheika’s future as coach by Christmas
SYDNEY: Rugby Australia will decide the fate of underfire Michael Cheika and his coaching staff “ahead of Christmas”, chairman Cameron Clyne said yesterday after an end-of-season review, following a disappointing year for the team.
Cheika has been under growing pressure after a poor season, with recent losses to England and Wales, and an uninspiring win over Italy. In a brief statement that lasted less than one minute to reporters after the meeting in Sydney, Clyne said the board would conduct a review before making a decision in the next two weeks.
“We’ve had a presentation from Michael, we’ve had some data gathered from him, from his coaching staff, from his players and from our high performance unit and we need to go through a fairly thorough review process,” he said, without taking questions.
“We’ve got all the information we need and we’ll be going through that process. “I know people are very keen to know what’s going on but I felt it was important to at least let you know where we are in that process and obviously we’ll have more to say and have that process wrapped up ahead of Christmas.”
A source told The Sydney Morning Herald that player feedback was “mixed”, with support for Michael Hooper as Test captain but concerns over the team’s culture, communication and organisation. Cheika’s contract is due to run out in a year and he had previously received the backing of Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle to take the Wallabies to the World Cup in Japan.
Earlier in Paris, Racing 92 took a big step towards the Champions Cup quarter-finals with a 36-26 win over Leicester Tigers on Sunday, while two-time winners Munster hammered French champions Castres.
Saracens joined France’s Racing in making it three wins from three with an astonishing second-half revival to thrash Cardiff Blues 51-25. Racing claimed a bonus points within 35 minutes as international backs Virimi Vakatawa, Juan Imhoff and Simon Zebo crossed as well as inexperienced back-rower Baptiste Chouzenoux.
Scotland fly-half Finn Russell was instrumental as his side played an expansive brand of rugby which produced a fifth and final try to secure victory ten minutes from time. France prop Eddy Ben Arous left the field on a stretcher with a neck injury and went to a nearby hospital for further assessments.
Coach Laurent Travers was impressed by his team’s ability with ball in hand but expected more from his side. “Our attack was very good so we’re not going to be fussy but we left three tries out there,” he said.
“Sometimes we have to be more clear in our thinking to know when to play and when to keep it tight,” he added. Tigers left the French capital with their own bonus point, which pleased coach Geordan Murphy.—AFP