Raelene Castle apologises for behaviour of Wallabies and coach Michael Cheika

The bad blood between the Rugby Australia chief and former Wallabies coach continues.

Raelene Castle, left, and Michael Cheika, right, had a difficult working relationship.

Rugby Australia chief Raelene Castle felt compelled to write a letter of apology to World Rugby over the behaviour of the Wallabies squad at the World Cup.

Tournament organisers were said to have been unhappy with a number of the Australian contingent in Japan, including former coach Michael Cheika.

Rugby Australia told The Australian Castle’s letter related to her attempts to make amends for Cheika’s criticism of World Rugby and referees, presenting a general “us against them” attitude during the tournament.

READ MORE: Rennie’s assistants tailor-made for Aussie flavour and attacking mindset | Wally Mason — When it comes to sporting teams, we’re very forgiving | Rugby state chiefs in dark over TV rights rejection

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 of Hodge’s suspension. “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 criticised the decision to penalise Samu Kerevi for a carry against Wales, saying: “As a rugby player, a former player, I am embarrassed.”

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.

It was also reported last month that a former Wallaby intervened to break up an undignified verbal clash between Cheika and Castle at the World Cup.

Sources 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.

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 quit sying he had “pretty much no relationship” with outgoing RA chairman Cameron Clyne and “not much” of a relationship with Castle.

Castle revealed Cheika’s displeasure with a new coaching management structure was the reason behind the breakdown in their relationship.

AAP