Cheika still throwing his weight around...
Hardman Wallaby coach scares his own players!
HE’S the hardman coach who thinks nothing of joining in training and trying to put in big hits on his players, despite being 48.
Australia coach Michael Cheika’s no-nonsense approach has worked wonders for the Wallabies — despite him being in charge for just a year — and they are favourites to beat Argentina in their semi-final on Sunday and reach a first World Cup final since 2003.
When he was in charge at Leinster, Cheika was so intimidating that Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton and his team-mates admitted they were ‘scared s***less’ of him.
Cheika’s ‘Hard Combat Equals Easy Match’ mantra became the norm at Leinster. A group of players who used to change in their cars before training went on to claim a maiden Heineken Cup title in 2008 under his watch.
Cheika earned notoriety for telling Bernard Jackman, ‘I decide when you retire’, after the hooker’s spate of concussions. However, Scott Fardy insists his experiences under Cheika have been hugely positive.
When Sexton’s summation of Cheika’s coaching methods was put to the Wallabies flanker, he described a mentor who has evolved from that table-thumping enforcer.
‘There’s a lot of love for Cheik,’ said Fardy. ‘The boys really enjoy playing under him. He’s got a lot of passion and that comes through in his coaching and it comes through in the way he talks, but there’s also a lot of respect for Cheik within the group.’
Former Scotland full-back Hugo Southwell, who played under Cheika during his time at Stade Francais, recently revealed the Wallabies boss would take part in full- contact sessions in training. According to Fardy, he is still just as eager: ‘Yeah, he still gets in there and throws his weight around. He’s getting a bit old now, he’s starting to get into his late 40s.’
After taking charge just over a year ago, Cheika has worked his magic. A transformed scrum, a demolition of England on home turf and gutsy wins over Wales and Scotland bear his hallmark.
‘He really enjoys the process of getting better and he pushes that on to his players,’ added Fardy. ‘I think, maybe when you’re looking at someone back in 2006 (with Leinster), he would have improved over the last decade.’ Securing the services of Matt Giteau for the tournament has been another Cheika masterstroke, with the Toulon playmaker proving a calming influence.
The 33-year-old had been ineligible for Australia due to the union’s stance on overseas-based players. But a softening of the ruling, spearheaded by Cheika, allowed Giteau to be picked.
For Giteau, who played in the 2003 and 2007 World Cups before missing out on selection in 2011, representing Australia again is the realisation of a dream.
‘I thought I’d be doing a couple of speaking gigs, get a bit of cash,’ said the centre on his World Cup involvement. ‘That was the plan but it’s been an amazing ride this last six months. To come back in and to be welcomed by such a great group, as soon as you feel that you’re able to play your best.’
Meanwhile, Wallabies kicking coach Chris Malone has hailed Bernard Foley’s nerve in the dying moments of his side’s 35- 34 quarter-final win over Scotland.
Foley endured a tough afternoon, missing three conversions before his charge-down kick led to Tommy Seymour’s try. He recovered to land the match-winning penalty.
‘One of the good things about Bernard is that he’s never lacked confidence,’ said Malone. ‘It was an easy fix and he just had to concentrate on one thing.’