Wallabies coach Michael Cheika responds to controversial Augustin Pichot tweet
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has had his say on a controversial tweet by former star player and World Rugby vice-chairman Augustin Pichot.
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Michael Cheika says the fact one-third of the Wallabies team were born overseas is a healthy sign of multiculturalism at work.
World Rugby vice-chairman and former Argentinian halfback Agustin Pichot’s posted a controversial Tweet this week outlining the number of foreign-born players in each nation (Australia has 29 per cent, Argentina none).
What it means to me is that — I’m not sure about Argentina — but in Australia we are a multicultural country,” said Cheika, a friend of Pichot’s.
Jugadores No nacidos en sus paises/ Foreign-born players en Noviembre ðŸ‰
— agustin pichot (@AP9_) November 20, 2018
ðŸ´ó §ó ¢ó ³ó £ó ´ó ¿ 46.3%
🇯🇵 37.1%
🇮🇹 29.7%
🇦🇺 29.4%
ðŸ´ó §ó ¢ó ¥ó ®ó §ó ¿ 27.7%
☘ 26.1%
ðŸ´ó §ó ¢ó ·ó ¬ó ³ó ¿ 24.3%
🇫🇷 12.9%
🇳🇿 12.5%
🇿🇦 & 🇦🇷 0%
“My parents came from Lebanon and tried to make a better life for themselves, working hard and that’s what Australia is about, giving people opportunities.
“It runs alongside the indigenous heritage how we’ve also got a lot of immigrant people who come to our country to get a better life for their kids. That’s all they’re trying to do.
“If those kids grow up and play for Australia, then that shows a little bit about what we’re doing down there and around our country as a whole about how we accept all and we always have and it hasn’t always gone smoothly, given the different political regimes and different things over time but at the end of the day Australia is one of the most multicultural places I have ever been to and I have travelled the world.
“It’s all good down there. I’m proud of the fact we have players from Fijian heritage, from Tongan heritage, from Samoan heritage, from Zimbabwean heritage, from South Africa guys who have come and played, English heritage — because at the end of the day we’re all imports down there. We are.”
CHEIKA: ‘EDDIE’S A MATE OF MINE
Engalnd should re-sign coach Eddie Jones for a further four years, rival Michael Cheika has declared.
Having been long-time verbal sparring partners, the two coaches have traded friendly words in the media this week leading up to Saturday’s clash between Australia and England.
Both have come under pressure this year for inconsistent results, but Cheika urged the RFU to extend Jones’ deal just weeks after many were tipping he’d be sacked.
“How many games has [Jones] won here with England, and what about the job he’s done since he came over after the World Cup?” Cheika said.
“When you take that into the full context — I don’t know if they’re giving him grief because he’s an Aussie and that’s no good.
“I don’t know why you’d be giving him grief, the team is ranked fourth in the world, they’re winning lots of games of footy, I’m not sure what people are looking for, perfection? That ain’t never happening.
“I don’t know why he’s getting such a hard time. You win some games, you lose some games, he’s definitely won more than he’s lost, so I’d be wrapping him up, signing him up for another four years if I was you chaps.”
Cheika said the perception he and Jones disliked each other is untrue.
“The only people who don’t think we have a good relationship is you chaps [media], we’re mates from playing footy together,” Cheika said.
“We’re not swinging hands down the road or anything but we’re good friends, got a lot of respect for each other from football days. His daughter [Chelsea] works for us, she’s on tour with us.
“Sometimes your friends have got to become your enemies, on Saturday we will be but there’s no beef in between us.
“If anything, when he does well, as long as it’s not against us I’m very happy for him.”
Ironically, this weekend’s match falls on the 15-year anniversary of England’s World Cup final victory over the Jones-coached Wallabies, when Jonny Wilkinson kicked an extra-time field goal at ANZ Stadium.
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Originally published as Wallabies coach Michael Cheika responds to controversial Augustin Pichot tweet
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