Rugby World Cup: Michael Cheika and Raelene Castle’s ‘undignified verbal clash’
A former Wallaby broke up a clash between coach Michael Cheika and RA boss Raelene Castle.
A former Wallaby intervened to break up an undignified verbal clash between coach Michael Cheika and Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle at the World Cup.
Sources have revealed that former Wallaby centre Morgan Turinui told the pair “settle down … people are watching” when voices were raised at an Australian Embassy function.
The embassy event was held in Tokyo on September 25, four days before the Wallabies’ crunch pool match against Wales.
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Cheika is believed to have been irked by Castle making a request for the Wallabies to attend the event through RA director of rugby Scott Johnson after the coach had declined.
Cheika had weighed it up given the importance of the match and the 80-minute round-trip between the embassy in Tokyo and the team’s hotel.
In the end, four non-playing Wallabies, including Christian Lealiifano and Jordan Petaia, joined Wallabies’ coaching staff and management at the function.
Cheika and chief executive Castle had a verbal altercation noisy enough for Turinui to calm the spat while embassy staff and Rugby Australia employees were also in the room.
Adding to the emotion was Cheika only finding out that night that key winger Reece Hodge had been banned for three games for a reckless high tackle against Fiji.
Cheika was highly frustrated that Hodge had copped the suspension which became the test case for World Rugby’s tough stance on high tackles at the tournament.
The unseemly public clash gives some context to the pair falling out and Cheika’s post-resignation swipe last Sunday. Cheika said: “It’s no secret I’ve pretty much got no relationship with the CEO.”
The embassy issue was another sign of Cheika’s control of the Wallabies being challenged.
Cheika indicated he had frustrations with Castle implementing a new structure this year where he had to work with rugby chief Johnson and two selectors.
“Scott’s a lovely bloke and I get on fine with him but I’m not really into that type of thing, I like to take that responsibility,” Cheika said.
“I found also that it changed my normal routine around things.
“Not that my way’s definitely the right way, I’m definitely not saying that but that’s just the way I like to operate.”
Just who runs the full-scale review of the Wallabies’ failed World Cup campaign and the appointment of Cheika’s successor as coach is a vexing question.
It would fit neatly into Johnson’s jurisdiction but for the conflict of interest … he ticked off on many of Cheika’s measures and was one of the selectors for the chopping-and-changing in the halves.
Johnson has a history from Scottish rugby with Kiwi coaching contender Dave Rennie, who is currently coaching Glasgow Warriors.
While that strong insight is valuable, a more independent review panel might be best placed to scrutinise Rennie and the Australian candidates who must be in the race.
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