Phil Waugh on the potential return of Michael Cheika: 'Everyone's in the hunt'
Phil Waugh isn’t ruling out Rugby Australia going back to the well once more and hiring Michael Cheika as Wallabies coach for a second stint.
Cheika on Tuesday announced he had parted company with Argentina, two months after guiding the Pumas to the Rugby World Cup semi-finals in France.
His departure raises the inevitable question: could Cheika return to Sydney to replace his former Randwick teammate Eddie Jones as Wallabies coach?
Waugh says anything is possible, despite Jones’s own second tenure in charge of Australia ending in disaster, with the Wallabies failing to progress out of the World Cup group stages for the first time.
“Everyone’s in the hunt, to be fair,” the RA chief executive told AAP when asked if Cheika could be ruled out of contention, four years after finishing up with the Wallabies after the 2019 edition of the global showpiece.
“We haven’t gone to market with it yet.
“We’re hoping to announce our high-performance director this week and then get in the process of going to market for a head coach.
“We’re certainly not advanced in conversations, or in any conversations with anyone really.”
Pressed on whether or not Cheika might be someone RA were interested in after taking the Wallabies to the 2015 World Cup final, Waugh said: “We’re interested in anyone, to be honest, but we just need to go through the process.”
Cheika’s assistant Felipe Contepomi will take over as the Pumas’ head coach.
Argentina’s World Cup run to the semi-finals came after Cheika stepped up in March 2022, following two years as an adviser to the team.
Under the Sydneysider, the Pumas beat the All Blacks in New Zealand, the Wallabies in Australia and England at Twickenham.
They knocked out Wales in the World Cup quarter-finals, before losing to the All Blacks in the semis.
“Having been the head coach of Los Pumas fills me with pride, and it is one of the experiences that I enjoyed the most in my career as a coach,” Cheika told the Argentina Rugby Union (UAR) website.
“Although I was born in Australia, a big part of me will be Argentina. I am convinced that Felipe and his staff are going to lead the team in the best way.”
Contepomi was the five-eighth at Irish club Leinster – and Cheika the coach – when the Irish outfit won their first European Cup in 2009.
He played 87 Tests, and was key to Argentina reaching their first Rugby World Cup semi-finals in 2007. Four years later, he captained the Pumas at his fourth World Cup.
Contepomi paid tribute to Cheika, calling it an honour to have worked under the Australian as Argentina’s attack coach and being “grateful for the extraordinary opportunity”.
After he retired from playing in 2014, he learned the coaching ropes with the Argentina XV and Super Rugby Jaguares, before returning to Leinster. Cheika brought him home in 2022.
UAR president Gabriel Travaglini thanked Cheika.
“His professionalism, passion and dedication to Argentine rugby is something we will remember forever,” Travaglini said.
“Today, we are convinced that Felipe is the right person for this new path towards Australia 2027.”
With AP
Comments on RugbyPass
Ireland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
45 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
45 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
45 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
1 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
45 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
45 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
45 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
45 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
45 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
45 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
45 Go to commentsSurprising how standing down or benching a player can do wonders for their motivation. Several players this week in that category.
2 Go to commentsHaha lads lads lads, that’s how you have a holiday In Majorca
4 Go to commentshit on Lynagh was defo late and card-worthy. The other 2 are bang on OK. Hurts you at Test level if youre timing is off and the nostrils are flared. Jerry C knew when to lean in on one, Finau just needs to keep his discipline and head straight.
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