Wallabies coach Michael Cheika came across as a sore loser during loss to England, writes Jim Tucker
AUSSIE rugby fans want a coach who is passionate, fierce, funny and full of strong opinions. But they don’t want a whinger, and JIM TUCKER writes Michael Cheika erred against England.
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ZIP it, Cheik. Enough.
The “f---ing cheats” shout from the Twickenham grandstand that has dumped the Wallabies coach in strife has tarnished him as a bad loser and eroded the “no excuses” culture he demands of his team.
World Rugby officials may yet take action over Cheika’s unseemly crack during Sunday’s tense battle when three disputed try-calls went against his team in a jolting 30-6 loss to Eddie Jones and his crowing English team.
The issue escalated with a gruff exchange with a TV interviewer who asked him about the reaction following the wet-weather Test.
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“No, I never said ... what are you talking (about)? Is that really what it’s come to?” an exasperated Cheika said of a gaffe picked up by lip-reading.
“Yeah maybe I did swear. It happens sometimes in life ... I’m sure you have as well.”
Australian rugby fans want a coach like Cheika who is passionate, fierce, funny, frank, full of strong opinions and drives his team brilliantly to wins over the All Blacks.
They don’t want to google “www.rugby.com.au” to find it stands for World.Wide.Whingers.
The world is sadly beyond mock offence at the “F-word” but it still demands dignity from those in charge of national teams, swear words being shouted into a raised elbow for disguise and shelving boorish bleats like “cheats.”
Cheika was out of order and gave a lame explanation that letting his anger and frustration bubble out immediately was best for him.
“That’s my own way of dealing with stuff. I like to get it out and get on with things,” Cheika said.
“It’s not like it’s affecting anyone else.”
Maybe, only the image of the Wallabies because this is not an isolated venting.
Cheika’s fuse blew with his knee-jerk line and sarcastic handclapping when no-try was called on skipper Michael Hooper for being off-side at the 26-minute mark.
Even the phlegmatic Hooper was nonplussed because he thought he’d adapted to initially being off-side when Tevita Kuridrani toed ahead on the wet turf.
“I thought I worked back, hands in the air and Marika (Koroibete), who was onside, kicked the ball, and put me onside,” Hooper said.
“That is why I went at the ball and got it over the tryline,” Hooper said.
Winger Koroibete had a superb game, including a hustling front-on tackle that helped Maro Itoje murder a two-man overlap when the Wallabies were reduced to 13 men for three minutes with Hooper (team infringements) and the unlucky Kurtley Beale (deliberate knockdown of a pass) in the sin bin.
The Wallabies courageously conceded just three points when undermanned and would have tied the Test at 13-all after 69 minutes but for Kiwi referee Ben O’Keeffe delivering the worst call of the Test.
The English were so on the backfoot from a scything Koroibete run that flanker Chris Robshaw was clearly off-side at the ruck moments before he turtled the winger to save a try that was oddly rejected for Stephen Moore obstructing him.
The Wallabies seemed to pause after that incident with two ragged Nick Phipps’ moments, Bernard Foley’s second forward pass and a Karmichael Hunt knock-on to hand faster-finishing England the momentum for three late tries.
Flanker Ned Hanigan (medial ligaments) is to fly home with his knee injury while lock Adam Coleman (thumb) will join him for impending minor surgery.
SCOREBOARD
England 30 (J Joseph, J May, E Daly, D Care tries; O Farrell 2 conv, 2 pen goals) bt Australia 6 (R Hodge pen goal, B Foley pen goal)
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