Diversity has brought Australia to brink of World Cup final glory, believes Cheika

MICHAEL CHEIKA has acclaimed the politically-diverse blend of “jokers, lovers and fighters” who have swept Australia to a fourth World Cup final.

The Wallabies will face New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday with the winners recognised as the most successful nation in the competition’s history having each triumphed on two previous occasions.

Twelve months ago Cheika inherited a squad in turmoil after a rift had opened up between players and management. Now Australia are on the brink of wresting All Blacks hands from the Webb Ellis Cup.

Allowing personalities of all types to flourish has been instrumental in the revival with outstanding back row David Pocock – a non-conformist, climate change activist and gay rights supporter – as interesting off the pitch as he is influential on it.

And Cheika insists the Wallabies also draw strength from their global roots with lineages in countries as varied as Zimbabwe, Ireland, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Fiji and Lebanon.

“We have got a team of real diversity. People who have come from different lands and origins, and there are also some very different characters there,” Cheika said.

“I won’t say we’ve got anyone on the extreme right in the way we think, but we’ve got the extreme left and centre right. We’ve got the jokers, the lovers, the fighters.”