Michael Cheika and the Wallabies one of the most difficult teams at Rugby World Cup
The behaviour of the Wallabies at the World Cup was so poor that Rugby Australia chief Raelene Castle has reportedly written a letter of apology to tournament organisers.
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Rugby Australia chief Raelene Castle felt compelled to write a letter of apology over the behaviour of the Wallabies squad at the World Cup, according to media reports.
Tournament organisers were said to have been unhappy with a number of the Australian contingent in Japan, including former coach Michael Cheika, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
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The paper quotes an unnamed source, who reportedly saw Castle’s letter, in which she bids to made amends for Cheika’s criticism of World Rugby and referees, and presenting a general “us against them” attitude during the tournament.
A survey of members of the organising committee during the World Cup resulted in the Wallabies reportedly being marked down as one of the most difficult teams to work with at the tournament.
In particular, Cheika criticised the decision to slap Wallabies winger Reece Hodge with a three-week suspension for a dangerous tackle on Fiji’s Peceli Yato, which left World Rugby bosses unimpressed.
“If there is one bloke World Rugby is not listening to, it’s me,” Cheika said at the time. “No matter what language I spoke to them in.
“There is a bit of us versus everyone else. You know and we know that. So we are not going to let it derail us.”
Cheika also fired up when Wallabies centre Samu Kerevi was contentiously penalised against Wales for carrying the ball up and striking Rhys Patchell high.
“When our guy makes that tackle and has the high tackle framework in his head, he gets suspended,” Cheika said. “This guy doesn’t think about the high tackle framework and we get penalised.
“As a rugby player, a former player, I am embarrassed.”
It is believed that these comments did not go down well with World Rugby.
Cheika revealed after the tournament that he would not seek an extension to the five-year spell he served after the Wallabies were beaten 40-16 by England in the quarter-finals.
The Herald report also said World Rugby had opted not to comment when contacted for a reaction.
Originally published as Michael Cheika and the Wallabies one of the most difficult teams at Rugby World Cup