Cheika quits following Australia’s sorry exit

Michael Cheika has quit after Australia’s humiliating World Cup quarter-final exit against England, drawing the curtain on a five-year term that started strongly but ended in criticsm and disappointment.

Cheika’s contract expires at the end of the year, had indicated he would not reapply for his job if they failed to win in Japan. After testily refusing to comment on his plans in the immediate aftermath of their 40-16 defeat to England, Cheika confirmed it was his last game in charge.

“I put my chips in earlier in the year, I told people no win, no play,” he said. “So, I’m the type of man who is always going to back what he says and I knew from the final whistle but I just wanted to give it that little bit of time to settle down, talk to my people and then make it clear.”

Glasgow Warriors coach Dave Rennie, a New Zealander, seen as among the front-runners to replace him.

Cheika, who narrowly avoided the axe after a horror season last year when Australia won just four of 13 Tests, had come under fire over his tactics in the tournament.

The Sydney Telegraph said he had taken the Wallabies backwards, with his planning “exposed as a failure”, while Fox

Sports Australia claimed there was “passion without intelligence”

Cheika insisted he would “have loved to stay on”, but would not go back on his word. “I’m attached to the team and it’s been an honour to do this role to coach of Australia,” he said. “It’s not given to a lot of people and I have taken it with a lot of pride and honour. I made my call and I wanted to show I was prepared to put myself on the line to achieve what I believe the team could do.

“I can honestly say I’m always looking to be better but I am really proud of what I have been able to do over the last four years with the team under some challenging circumstances on and off the field.”

Australia’s World Cup exit was a bitter end for eight squad members who are either moving to overseas clubs next year or retiring, including centurions Will Genia and Sekope Kepu, along with flanker David Pocock.