Tetchy Cheika out to lower expectations as Wallabies face down internal strife
THERE’S a good reason why Michael Cheika has been love-bombing Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt and his squad recently, with repeated references to their Grand Slam glory, winning run of 12 matches and rise to second in the world rankings.
It is the old political trick of lowering expectations – promise little and you limit the flak in the wake of failure whereas any success will lead to exaggerated appreciation.
But, for all his wiles, Cheika is also all-too aware of the realities of his predicament in this threeTest series – Ireland are on a roll they are primed to continue whereas Australia’s last two internationals were November hammerings by England and Scotland.
The Wallabies need something tangible to latch onto in the face of heightened criticism of Cheika’s tenure and the poor results of Australian teams in Super Rugby.
After 16 rounds, the Aussie franchises have managed just two wins over New Zealand opposition which has led to much navel-gazing and the situation has been compounded by a squabble between Rugby Australia and the Brumbies over a request to rest Test players in preparation for Ireland.
The Wallabies wanted the Brumbies to omit Scott Sio, David Pocock and Allan Alaalatoa for this weekend’s clash with the Sunwolves and the Canberra franchise took exception.
The Brumbies wondered, not unreasonably, why they should be asked to rest players when the same demands were not made on the other Australian teams.
Prop Sio recorded a message last Thursday asking for Brumbies supporters to ‘show support for the boys’ by buying a ticket to the game and local media reaction was particularly scathing.
‘At best, Cheika’s request highlights rugby union’s desire to make itself extinct in this part of the world. No need for any of the rival codes to chip in, rugby’s got this covered,’ wrote David Polkinghorne in The Canberra Times. Ouch. On the back of last year’s soap opera surrounding the culling of the Western Force, the Brumbies affair has increased the sense of disillusionment with the national team and heaped further pressure on Cheika. Australian disharmony between club and country is in stark contrast to the unified approach Schmidt
is benefitting from with Ireland and their IRFU-influenced provinces.
Additionally, while Schmidt has brought his strongest possible squad, Cheika is operating beneath a ban preventing him selecting overseas players (South Africa did away with their overseas restriction last month) unless they have won 60 caps – a stipulation known as the ‘Giteau Law’ after Matt Giteau was called up for the 2015 World Cup.
With more Aussies playing overseas than in Super Rugby, it is severely limiting for Cheika, who is denied the services of players of the calibre of Leinster’s Scott Fardy, Will Skelton at Saracens or Montpellier’s Jesse Mogg, to name but three.
They are still particularly strong in the back-row with Pocock and Michael Hooper and in the outside backs where Israel Folau, Kurtley Beale and Tevita Kuridrani bring both experience and game-breaking potential.
They have established quality at half-back also, where out-half Bernard Foley will be partnered by Will Genia or Nick Phipps.
However, the Wallabies are up against arguably the world’s best half-back partnership in Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray and may also struggle for a regular supply of quality ball as they look weak in the front five – an ongoing problem that dates back to the mid-2000s.
They are especially callow at hooker, where Stephen Moore’s retirement sees Cheika turning to three rookies – the uncapped Folau Fainga’a, Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Jordan Uelese, who has just 35 minutes of Test rugby behind him.
Cheika wants to play an expansive game and will be hoping former rugby league stars Marika Koroibete and Curtis Rona can announce themselves as exciting outside backs in the 15-man code.
But it is asking a lot for the Wallabies to click from the off this year and the advantage definitely lies with Ireland if they can carry the momentum from a stunning season of achievement into three more weeks.
Cheika desperately needs a series win to ease Aussie jitters but he is up against it facing this Irish team and their estimable coach. He’s right to lower expectations.
‘AUSTRALIA’S LAST TWO GAMES WERE HAMMERINGS IN NOVEMBER’