Rugby World Cup 2015: Wallabies coach Michael Cheika warns against complacency for Fiji clash

WALLABIES coach Michael Cheika is confident his side won’t walk into the next World Cup ambush against Fiji after watching Japan shock South Africa.

Australia's head coach Michael Cheika (C) takes an Australia team training session on September 18, 2015, at the University of Bath, south west England, five days before their first Rugby World Cup 2015 match against Fiji. AFP PHOTO / MARTIN BUREAU RESTRICTED FOR EDITORIAL USE

JAPAN’S upset over the Springboks was a reminder of the fast-closing gap between top-tier and minnow nations but Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is confident his side won’t walk blindly into the next World Cup ambush against Fiji.

Like the rest of the world, the Australian squad are still trying to digest the Brave Blossoms’ stunning victory over South Africa on Sunday morning in Brighton.

Cheika said he and many players were pleased for Eddie Jones and a number of the Japanese players they’d played with. The Wallabies coach was a Randwick teammate of Jones for many years.

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“Eddie is a friend of mine and it’s a great credit to him and a great result for him,” Cheika said.

“Obviously played with him for a long time, Kotara Matsushima played with the Waratahs last year, so we’re extremely happy for him, Hendrick Tui played with the Reds, Shota Hori (who played for the Rebels), so there’s a bit of a connection there for us. You can understand what they must be feeling.”

wallabies coach Michael Cheika is well aware of the threat posed by Fiji.

Japan’s victory served as a massive warning to the Wallabies about taking any lesser-ranked team lightly, and it was perfectly timed with their World Cup campaign to open on Thursday morning in Cardiff against Fiji.

But Cheika said there would be no complacency from the Wallabies about the threats of Fiji or other minnow nations, due to the fact many players had first-hand knowledge of them.

“I don’t think that’s in our team. I would sniff that straight away ... we know those guys too well, especially Fijians,” Cheika said.

“Obviously (Ben) Volavola, I coached him for a few years. Nadolo we know and see all the time along with several other players that we’re very well aware of and have a very healthy respect for.

“Many of our players have been run around or run over or head-on tackled by one of them at some stage, so everyone knows.”

Fiji’s gallant performance against England was the first in a series of strong showings from unfancied minnows on the opening weekend, with Georgia beating Tonga, Japan knocking off the Springboks, the USA pushing Samoa and Uruguay battling hard against Wales. Only Canada succumbed to a rout at the hands of Ireland.

They were all timely lessons for the Wallabies, who were able to sit back and learn ahead of a late start to their tournament.

Cheika said it was clear that a World Cup, with full stadiums, unfancied teams with firm goals to knock someone over would lift and the Wallabies would have to be totally switched on.

“Just by looking at the way crowds have been so far, to see the stadia all full for all the games, that’s only going to help bring teams’ levels up because you want to perform on the big stage and makes those types of results inevitable because they’re always going to happen,” Cheika said.

“That’s the thing about rugby, it’s a very humbling game. You do well in one scrum and you knock off in another and you’ll get turned up; you carry strong once but if you don’t carry strong the next time someone will pick you up and dump you.

“That’s the great thing about the game. And now, as professionalism gets a little more mature, all team are coming here with a goal.

“Not all team’s goal might be to win the tournament but all teams are coming with an objective. No-one is coming here to participate only. Most people probably thought Tonga would beat Georgia. But Georgia came with a goal.

“The teams are coming, everyone get their goal and a team aligned with a goal is a very dangerous beast. You want to make sure that you have your goals very clearly set as well.”

Cheika said he had no doubt the gap between tier 1 teams — those in the Six Nations and the Rugby Championship — and tier 2 was fast disappearing.

“Definitely ... because their players are starting to play more and more against the tier one players,” Cheika said.

“In 2011, how many Japanese players were in Super Rugby in Australia? Nowhere near as many that are playing right now and names that we all know and see playing. We’re doing analysis on them.

“And (Japan) players are feeling, ‘I’ve played against that guy, I know what I can do against him’. That’s what it’s all about. That gap is going to close.

“The Georgians, there are a lot in France playing rugby. Americans, Canadians … they’re all getting competition against the best players and that’s making them feel more confident in themselves.”

Originally published as Rugby World Cup 2015: Wallabies coach Michael Cheika warns against complacency for Fiji clash