As Quade Cooper spat vitriol, his ex-teammate jumped to Cheika's defence
In the aftermath of Australia’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final loss to England on Saturday, it has not been pleasant for departing head coach Michael Cheika.
It was expected that the 52-year-old would move on if the Wallabies did not win the RWC, and after the 40-16 loss to their old enemy in Oita, he confirmed that he would not renew his contract.
Since then, the knives have been out for Cheika, as he has faced a litany of criticism from players and journalists. He has been labelled selfish for his approach to the quarter-final and a far cry from the man that led the Wallabies to the RWC final in 2015.
Exiled flyhalf Quade Cooper was one player to turn on him on Twitter, saying “If he actually cared about Aus rugby he would have done it [resigned] a while ago.”
If he actually cared about Aus rugby he would have done it a while ago..
— Quade Cooper (@QuadeCooper) October 20, 2019
Cheika has fought back himself, and has taken a parting shot at Rugby Australia, criticising the structure of the organisation. But it largely seems like he is on his own in this situation to face a barrage of abuse.
However, 52-cap Wallaby James O’Connor has leapt to his coach’s defence, thanking him for giving him another chance in international rugby.
The 29-year-old had faced a six-year absence from the Wallabies team until he was selected for the Rugby Championship this year. After a promising start to his career, the utility back became a pariah of Australian rugby, and left to play abroad in 2013. But he said on Instagram that he has a “great deal of respect” for Cheika for allowing him back onto the Test scene.
This is what he said: “When I was looking for an opportunity, you went out of your way to accommodate and provide me with the circumstance for a chance. I want to thank you for that and all you have done for Australian rugby.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B31iEFHBTrC/?utm_source=ig_web_options_share_sheet
Although things may have turned sour in the final months, or even years, of Cheika’s tenure, he still delivered a Rugby Championship title and a RWC silver medal. While he may receive quite a backlash from the Australian public, it is good to see that some players are there to defend him as well.
Comments on RugbyPass
Kok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
16 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
16 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to commentsIt was rubbish to watch, Blues weren’t even present. Did what they had to do, nothing more. Should be better next week against canes.
1 Go to commentsI’ve just noticed that this match has an all-French refereeing team. Surely a game like this ought to have a neutral ref? Although looking at the BBC preview of the Saints game, Raynal is also down as reffing that - so there may be some confusion about who is reffing what.
1 Go to commentsIf Havili can play anywhere in the back line, why not first 5. #10.
11 Go to commentsThe dressing room had already left for their summer break before they ran out in Dublin that year, and that’s on the coach. Franco Smith has undoubtedly made progress, particularly their maul, developing squad players and increasing squad depth. And against a very tight budget too. That said they were too lightweight last year and got found out against both Toulon and Munster in consecutive games. Better this season so far but they’ve developed something of a slow start habit occasionally, most notably losing at home to Northampton who played them at their own game. Play offs will ultimately show whether there has been tangible progress on last year, or not…!
2 Go to commentsAustralian Rugby has been a disaster, by not incorporating learning from previous successful campaigns. QLD Reds 2011 - Waratahs 2014. Players, coaches and administrators appoint there representatives for scheduled meetings, organisation’s agreement’s assessments and correspondence. This why a unified Rugby Union under one entity works. Every Rugby nation has taken that path. Was most difficult in the Northern hemisphere with over 100 years of club rugby before the game become professional. Took a lot of humility for those unions to eventually work together.
7 Go to commentsThough Wilson’s sacking was pretty brutal, it wasn’t just down to that Leinster game; Glasgow had a lot of 2nd half collapses that season, in the URC and Europe, and only just scraped into the playoffs. Franco Smith has definitely been an improvement, some players are delivering far more than they did under Wilson.
2 Go to commentsjesus - that front 5!
1 Go to commentsShould be an absolute cracker of a game! Will be great to see DuPont & Ntamack in tandem once again🔥
1 Go to commentsBest team ever…. To have played? These guys are still pressure chokers. Came nowhere when it counted. What a joke
84 Go to commentsMusk defends anonymous terrorism, fascism, threats against individuals and children etc etc But a Rugby club account….lock ‘em up!!!
2 Go to commentsActually the era defining moment came a few years earlier. February 2002 to be precise, when Michael D Higgins as finance minister at the time introduced his sports persons tax relief bill to the dial. As the politicians of the day stated “It seems to be another daft K Club frolic born in Kildare amongst the well-paid professional jockeys with whom the Minister plays golf” and that the scheme represented “a savage uncaring vision of Ireland and one that should be condemned”. The irfu and Leinster would be nowhere near the position they are in today without this key component of the finances.
5 Go to comments