This is the real Michael Cheika

Of course there are reasons that both trophies won't end up in Cheika's hands - Kiwi, Seffrican, Pommy and other Australian reasons. The odds of a Cheika double would be pretty high. But not as high as the reality of it happening, imo. I'm all for it, mind.

So Point 1 is basically irrelevant. Points 2, and 4 are the same thing, and points 5,6 and show why he is at a disadvantage to his counterparts. They're all facts, they're not necessarily facts that support Cheika's dual role. Pjm, all coaches have been historically biased towards their own players due to the familiarity when talking them up for rep honours. How exactly do you expect Cheika to be able to make objective decisions for the Wallabies when there is one group of players that he sees daily and has the strongest relationship with, and most intimate knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses? Some people don't see value in certain players until they play for their own team. I'm not worried that Cheika will favour Waratahs players due to some devious bias. I think the risk is he will make poor selections due to familiarity of some and lack of knowledge of others and it will hurt the Wallabies results. How can somebody make objective decisions where their knowledge of one alternative is so much greater than that of the others?

I'm still trying to figure out what the "false" Michael Chieka was.

But this is Cheika, and he's from Randwick

Just goes to show that the saffas and kiwis are pissing money away having a full time coach.

The most worrying sign is having 4 reds in the wallaby pack. This focus on the coach is nothing

Do you think so? I think he's at lengths to be as transparent as he can be about this obvious conflict of interest in an effort to avoid it which he should be given due credit for. But in trying to balance the scales all the time it might cost him when he really needs to be firmly in one camp or the other. In the club game, he knows his stuff, and knows what it takes. In the international game, he knows nothing about what it takes to put a winning side together at either EOYT, bledisloe, and certainly RC or World Cup year. No idea whatsoever. So that five weeks, or two if tahs make the final might be a challenge even for a seasoned vet like Hansen, but for Cheika? He'll have nothing to draw from, and will have to...wing it.

True. But a week in W's are still 5th, tahs are 12th. Regardless of the reasons, since the tahs win Cheika has seen both sides drop off already. That's cheikas reality.

There is a blatant, glaring and obvious conflict of interest. Maybe you need a certain level of intelligence to understand that. I will give one simple example: Cheika is talking about opposition players in the media this week. Is he using his position as Wallaby coach to benefit his SR team? Personally, I think he is. I could list a thousand more examples. It really is amateur hour in Australian rugby isn't it.

Cheika was a dirty player though but hey that's rugby, a tough player who pushed the boundaries.

Agreed. Tahs are number 1 in super rugby going into 2015, wallabies are 5th. Let's see where the teams are post WC

I have seven points on why I will win the euro millions this Friday.......

Though instead of Tuning this into tahs v world article, maybe even the tahs supporters should come out and say this is crap? I believe there is merit In MC doing both jobs, and there are pros, though this article with it's seven points is embarrassing. Click bait works wonders when people in the comments section fuel it. Your comment is adding fire .

If an International coach didn't have a pretty solid idea of what his squad is going to look like at this stage, then you would be very worried. Having said that, those on the periphery, and they would know who they are, can still make the squad with impressive performances. Nothing would be set in stone, and of course you have to account for expected injuries etc.

If we all knew about these meetings, why did you previously blankly state that there are "no Wallabies camps with secret handshakes going on right now"? We had a long discussion about what Dwyer meant when arguing for Hunt, with me arguing that there were activities going on which implied they have already largely picked the squad, while you were equally adamant that there was nothing going on and Dwyer couldn't possibly mean this side of July. Now you are saying everyone knew he was going to having meetings with the playing group about the plans going forward. As then, it has nothing to do with feelings and everything to do with the extent to which the squad has been pre-selected. Even more so when they are apparently pre-judging that Hunt has done enough even prior to his first game. If a player has been left out, he is quite clearly not part of the plans. He can knock himself out trying, but even if he got noticed by the end of the season he will have already missed out on all that stuff compared to any player he might be trying to challenge. And it is not just meetings and the like; with your extensive reading you must have noted that article the other day about Dean Benton as the Wallabies strength and conditioning consultant. Cheika has said lots of things, but what he said in that case was: "We have a four month window here from the start of Super Rugby and the end, to get players in the best possible shape we can....It's about trying to co-ordinate a year-round management of the player...That means respecting the space of the bosses at each province and respecting what they've got to say, then them respecting what he's got to say for the other part of the season, and then putting it all together so I can go to a player and say 'right, here's your plan for the year.' " So all kind words about Timani aside, does that mean that they will now be incorporating him into that program? Because it seems pretty clear that anyone in that program is already basically selected barring injury, and anyone outside should worry less about form and more on making voodoo dolls and hoping for injuries. Which is not to say that what Cheika is doing is necessarily wrong. But it would just make a nice change if everyone could stop pretending, quit squabbling over meaningless teams of the week, and stop pretending that Cheika hasn't taken on two full time workloads in parallel and must struggle to do either proper justice.

Very good... And with this: Given what Michel Cheika can do, with the right players there’s no reason why the Waratahs and Wallabies can’t bring home two of the biggest trophies in world rugby in the same year. ...the main reason that is true being...because neither has been played yet. Has as much reason as ...no reason I won't win the lottery next week....once the ticket has been purchased.

In reading both sides of this argument, I think in the end all points re for and against are moot. Only one thing will confirm or otherwise whether the dual role is a good move or not. Results. The range of that confirmation starts at the top with an uncategorical yes with a Tahs sxv win coupled with a Wallabies World Cup. A no will be anything less than that though will be ultimately decided by the masses as to what is acceptable as 'less'.

Yeah well said... Perhaps the earlier comment illustrates the 'hat' concept more clearly... Cheika needs to row his own boat, not Hansens. Except he needs to row two of them, simultaneously, a slightly more difficult proposition.

We always knew about these meetings being arranged by Cheika. It has been widely reported. You just need to read more. Cheika is in the precarious position - damned if you do, damned if you don't. I guess it's clear you will never ever please everyone. "He's not doing anything for the Wallabies".... Oh but he is he will be getting groups together from time to time and instill what will be required from them when the squad comes together "Well that's not fair, what about the guys who didn't attend the meeting, what about their feelings??!".... Players will know that performance will get them in with a shot. Cheika has waxed lyrical about Lopeti Timani's performance last week. A guy who could barely crack Super rugby last year. They are all being closely monitored.

You see Graham Henry went fishing during the 2011 Super Season. That's why Stephen Donald got the call up to the RWC final. Turns out they have a great mutual friend in an innkeeper down south, where the fishing is good.