Cheika furious at scribe’s sick gibe

WALLABIES coach Michael Cheika has slapped down former Ireland rugby player Neil Francis after the outspoken newspaper columnist labelled David Pocock as “a cancer on the game”.

Francis wrote a column in the Irish Independent newspaper after Australia’s first Test win bemoaning Pocock’s effectiveness at slowing down the Irish ball but his choice of words left Cheika extremely unimpressed.

The pair have history going back a decade after Francis called Leinster a bunch of “ladyboys” when the Australian was coaching them in 2008.

Cheika said yesterday he still had a lot of love for the current Ireland players he coached back then but there’s clearly still no love lost with Francis.

“That guy needs to choose his words a little better I think, to be honest. It’s not a very nice thing to say,” Cheika said.

“I’m not worried about what he thinks about Poey’s footy, I just think that’s not a very nice term to use. There’s people who are really sick out there. I’m not into that.

“He used to say a lot of stuff about us when I coached Leinster as well. Some unflattering words he would use for his own publicity. That’s fine.”

Francis’s infamous “ladyboys” label came after a Leinster loss, in which he wrote the team were “disgraceful, gutless, leaderless (and) spineless”.

Cheika’s side went on to win the European Cup that season and captain Brian O’Driscoll said post-match they had not forgotten the “distasteful” barbs.

Pocock’s effectiveness in slowing down and stealing Ireland’s ball in Brisbane last weekend will undoubtedly have Joe Schmidt’s side planning how to negate the Wallabies flanker in Melbourne tomorrow.

Francis said Ireland needed “special preparations to deal with Pocock” but Cheika said he wouldn’t bother talking to referees about any Irish shadiness such as off-the-ball holding.

The Australian coach has confidence Pocock has the “adaptability” to deal with any extra attention.

“He’ll wear it, he’s a tough guy. I think it’s been a bit overblown,” Cheika said.

“He’s just going to rucks and trying to make tackles and get up. That’s football, that’s rugby.”