Coach Michael Cheika reveals tweet motivated Waratahs to exact revenge on Brumbies

A FOUR-month-old tweet by an ex-Brumbies trainer questioning the Waratahs’ work ethic has been revealed as the motivation for NSW to exact revenge.

Super Rugby Rd 17 - Waratahs v Brumbies

A FOUR-month-old tweet by an ex-Brumbies trainer questioning the Waratahs’ work ethic has been revealed as the motivation for NSW to exact revenge with a bonus-point victory over their rivals at ANZ Stadium.

NSW coach Michael Cheika said a tweet posted by former Brumbies strength and conditioning coach Dean Benton in the wake of the ACT’s over the Tahs in Canberra in round five had riled them so much they mentioned it several times in the pre-game build up.

After the Brumbies beat NSW 28-23, Benton tweeted: “Another case of hard work beating talent when talent WON’T work hard.”

BRUMBIES!!! ANOTHER case of hard work beating talent when talent WON'T work hard#rugby

— Dean Benton (@Atletico_Dev) March 15, 2014

Benton no longer works with the Brumbies but the dig still hit a raw nerve with the Waratahs, given the side had attempted to establish hard work as a foundation stone for its revitalisation over the last two seasons.

“After we lost to the Brumbies in the last game, their S & C guy put a tweet out saying hard work will always beat talent when talent doesn’t work,” Cheika said post-match.

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“We definitely used that tonight, to say that’s a challenge on our integrity around if we are hard workers. That’s something we want to be proud of.

“That was something that really motivated us, and although it wasn’t a classic (game), I thought we worked really hard and stayed in the game.

“It’s a real badge of honour when you are a hard worker, in any domain. Whether it is rugby or business or school, or whatever. People respect you, and they certainly have the respect of the team.”

Waratahs captain Dave Dennis, who attended the post-match on crutches after suffering a suspected torn ACL, said the Benton tweet was used “as a spur” by his side before Saturday night’s 31-point drubbing.

“Any time a team or someone questions you in that regard it is (insulting). Particularly with the focus we have had over the last 18 months as a group,” Dennis said.

“That’s probably the one thing we’re going to hang our hat a bit, is working hard, and being a strong physical team who never gives in. Probably looking at that Canberra game you could question us a little bit but the effort was there. We were just off in a few areas.

“It gives the boys a bit of a spur along, too. Our consistency about working hard has been a lot better this year than it was last year, or the last few years. Every week you are getting consistency in how hard we want to work, and how physical we want to be.

“To get questioned in that regard, on something we have talked about for a long time, we felt was a bit harsh and it gave us good motivation for tonight.”

Originally published as Coach Michael Cheika reveals tweet motivated Waratahs to exact revenge on Brumbies