The rumoured and seemingly inevitable announcement that successful Waratahs coach Michael Cheika is set to be appointed as the next coach of the Wallabies is a step in the right direction.
This past Saturday’s heartbreaking loss at the hands of the All Blacks was the final straw for Ewen McKenzie in the top job.
You get the feeling that although he officially resigned, his position became almost untenable after the latest crisis to hit the squad.
McKenzie’s reign as coach was on shaky ground the second the final siren rang in the Wallabies’ loss to Argentina, but the latest Kurtley Beale saga, and the resultant fallout, looks as though it pushed the former Brumbies, Waratahs and Reds coach over the edge.
Looking to the future, Cheika always looked like the obvious choice given his guidance of the Waratahs to an unforgettable Super Rugby Championship victory. The Waratahs’ strength seems to mirror the weakness of the Wallabies, who unfortunately seemed to fade away late, as best shown in their last minute loss to the Kiwis in Brisbane.
The Tahs became renowned for their amazing fitness, which was a result of good old fashioned hard work in preseason and week-to-week training.
Whispers that the playing roster had been split as a result of the latest issues and how they have been handled have become louder as more details emerge. I can’t think of many instances where divided squads have achieved great success in any sporting arena.
All signs seem to indicate that Cheika may be the figurehead needed to stamp out any emerging problems within the squad. Should he accept the role, his first job will certainly be to reunite the players and officials and ensure they are all working to achieve the one, unified goal to lift the World Cup trophy.
Reports are that Cheika runs a tight ship, both commanding and getting the respect of his players. It is of the utmost importance that the everyone works for their coach, and each other. Despite not giving anything away after admitting he had been approached, surely the challenge to lead a disjointed Wallabies squad to World Cup glory would appeal to any coach.
My gut feeling is that Cheika will accept the role, and will succeed, just as he did with the Tahs. What’s important is that fans of the sport are willing to give Cheika, his staff and the players the time they need to match it with the All Blacks consistently.
To expect the Wallabies to come out and put 50 on the world’s best team any time soon will be ridiculous, but given the unrealistic expectations placed on Robbie Deans and again on McKenzie, those expectations may not be too far from the mark.
Cheika is the right man for the job. Whether we can realistically harbour thoughts of winning the upcoming World Cup is debatable, but if given the time to shape the squad the way he wants, success may not be too far away.
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