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Wallabies urged not to fall into comfort zone

MICHAEL Cheika has spent the past year trying to make Australia proud of the Wallabies again.

But now the nation is clad in gold, has renewed pride and is letting the team know via a mountain of messages ahead of the World Cup final, the coach has asked his players not to listen.

They are soaking up the support from home, of course, but Cheika has told his team that if they want to give Australians something to be really proud of tomorrow, they can’t yet accept one type of well-intentioned message. The unconditional support.

“You get a lot of messages like ‘no matter what happens, we’re proud of you’,” Cheika said. “Which is fantastic but like I have said to the blokes, we don’t want to be here and be proud just to have made the final.

“That’s too comfortable, that’s too easy. We want to be proud of what we do (in the final) and make Australians even more proud of us, by giving everything we’ve got.

“It’s definitely good to get all that support, don’t get me wrong, because part of our goal is to get our supporters back into it. We’re happy about that.

“But the message is to not be content with being happy. Go for more.”

Scott Sio, who returned to the starting line-up after overcoming a dislocated elbow, said Cheika’s message had hit home because he reflected about “just being happy” to play in the 2013 Super Rugby final.

“I didn’t appreciate the occasion and appreciate how special that kind of thing is. Appreciate how hard it is to get there. You work so hard to get to these sorts of events,” Sio said. “This is the biggest game rugby has to offer. I’m definitely not taking anything for granted this weekend.”

Cheika struck a relaxed figure in one of his final press outings before the World Cup final against old foe New Zealand.

The coach drew laughs from the world’s rugby media when asked about the tinfoilhat Kiwi conspiracy that Cheika and the Wallabies had been ordered by the ARU to not say the words “All Blacks” because the nickname is apparently threatening.

An ARU spokesman denied issuing any such edict, and Cheika said because he’d always believed Test footy was “between nations”, he always used the country names – in- cluding Australia ahead of “the Wallabies”.

When pressed if he could utter the words, Cheika said “All Blacks” and then pretended to pass out, muttering “poltergeist”.

The Cheika grin wasn’t just down to the fact an entire World Cup final week has passed by without anything more serious to deal with than nickname-avoidance, but for the fact Sio returned from injury to take his place in the squad.

Amazingly, given the attritional nature of a seven-week World Cup, Australia have a fully fit squad.

The Wallabies received their jerseys for the final from George Gregan, Australia’s most capped player. He won a title in 1999 and skippered the 2003 side to their heartbreaking loss.

“George is not always the nice commentator you all see on the TV all the time. That player’s got edge. And I want them to hear from players like that,” Cheika said.

I’m not in for the big sweeping statements. I’m a big believer that your next game is the one that proves who you are. The minute you start relying on clichés or tags or titles, you’ll get pinched. MICHAEL CHEIKA

“George made some points to the guys about the emotions and the feelings ... if you’re going to take advice from someone, you may as well take advice from someone who’s been there, done that.”

Glancing tricky questions away like Mark Waugh in his prime, Cheika said he was happy with Nigel Owens as a referee – “he’s the best in the world” – and said he wouldn’t buy into Bob Dwyer’s comments that Australia had the best defence in the world.

“I know Bob’s done it all and he’s very well-respected in Australia and he’s a friend of ours as well,” Cheika said.

“(But) I’m not in for the big sweeping statements. I’m a big believer that your next game is the one that proves who you are. The minute you start relying on clichés or tags or titles, you’ll get pinched.”

Asked what his final words to the team would be, Cheika said: “I’m always a last-minute man. I’ll think about it on the bus on the way to the game.”