Time is running out for Michael Cheika
Michael Cheika is already attempting to soften expectations for the Wallabies by declaring this is “the best Irish team ever” in the lead up to the first Test.
“They’re coming down here as No 2 in the world,” he said.
“They can claim that they’re underdogs as much as they want but they’re certainly going to be the favourites.
Whilst Ireland is deservedly the world’s number two team, a number of front-line starters are missing for the first test, including linchpin Johnny Sexton. With captain Rory Best also set to miss the whole series, this team is materially different from the team that won the Grand Slam at Twickenham – which should really give the Wallabies an edge.
Regardless of who wears the underdog tag – the Wallabies need to win this Test series to prove they are any hope at the World Cup. This is a decisive point in the four-year cycle. Their appearance at the 2015 Rugby World Cup final has been succeeded by two poor years – both at Super Rugby and international level by Australian rugby.
Eddie Jones and his English side defeated Cheika’s side 3-0 at home in the June Tests in 2016, a deflating World Cup encore which led to a downward spiral. Swept by New Zealand, they managed a lone win over South Africa and two over Argentina during the Rugby Championship.
They fared a little better during their 2016 End of Year Tour, finishing 3-2 with wins over Wales, Scotland, and France but they fell to Ireland and England to finish the year with a 40% win record.
The only respectable victories last year were against New Zealand and Wales as they bullied World Rugby doormats Italy, Japan and Fiji while maintaining the wood over Argentina. They finished the year with two embarrassing defeats over England and Scotland. Their win record against Tier 1 nations not named Italy and Argentina since the last World Cup is an unforgivable 27%.
Cheika is renowned for his old school toughness and can bring that trait out in a side. His work at Leinster in the late 2000’s transformed them into a champion side, bringing in an edge that ex-players from that team praise about. The problem is that was a different era of rugby and game has changed dramatically. In this second era of professional rugby, the gap has closed. Every tier one nation is physical, brutally tough and fit. That is a pre-requisite and no longer a formula in itself for success. The differences are in clinical execution, decision-making, strategy and fundamental skills.
Even Cheika’s Super Rugby success in 2014 with the Waratahs and World Cup run in 2015 are fast becoming relics of the past. The game evolves rapidly every two to three years with new styles of play and an ever-growing level of detail.
Those details that require laser-like precision are left wanting with Wallaby teams of late. Bonehead mistakes and basic errors plague Cheika’s Wallabies. There is little talk about creating space or use of skill with smart play, only ‘winning collisions’ with aggression and physicality.
There was hearsay that Eddie Jones knew if he beat Australia in the first test of that 2016 tour, they would win three-nil as he thought Cheika would thrash his side on the training paddock leaving them exhausted for the rest of the series. Did that actually happen? No idea. The history books will show England won three-nil though.
There has been nothing to suggest that this side will do anything other than exit at the quarterfinal stages next year, at the hands of either France or England. They have enough brawn to beat minnows, but not enough brains to match it with the best.
This Australian team has world-class talent – David Pocock, Will Genia and Kurtley Beale have all returned to play in Australia, Israel Folau is here (for now) and Michael Hooper is ever-present. It’s time this team showed up to prove that whatever Cheika is doing, works.
Because it certainly hasn’t been.
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments