In the dark hours after Ewen McKenzie’s assassination the identity of his successor was already crystal clear.
Michael Cheika was the only real choice domestically. His CV was littered with success. He’d just led the Waratahs to a Super Rugby title. More importantly perhaps, he had the unequivocal support of McKenzie’s assassins.
The more cynical among us have drawn our own conclusions about that support.
Many felt exceptionally uncomfortable about the circumstances surrounding McKenzie’s resignation and voiced their concerns. Those voices were slowly drowned out by the ‘success’ of the 2015 campaigns, especially the Rugby World Cup.
Yet the success of Michael Cheika’s rein must now be very much in question. Much like Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott or Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd, it just ain’t working out.
His coaching has taken the Wallabies further away from winning a Bledisloe, not closer. Both Deans and McKenzie coached sides that produced more competitive performances against the heavy weights of World Rugby.
Ironically McKenzie’s very last game in charge was a one-point loss to a Kiwi side far more formidable than the one which hopelessly outclassed the Wallabies on Saturday.
Robbie Deans was crucified after the series loss to the British Lions. Criticised for poor selections and a lack of a clear game plan, Deans went. That was despite a far more competitive record against the All Blacks than Cheika’s so far.
Cheika’s World Cup campaign was arguably deceiving. An outstanding win against a poor England. A very narrow win against Wales. A very lucky win against Scotland. No game against the Boks. A final where 34-17 accurately reflected the gulf between the All Blacks and Wallabies.
In 2016 Cheika has lost a series to nil to England – a lesser opposition than the 2013 British Lions – with a regime totally lacking in a Plan B and selections every bit as disjointed and baffling as Deans in his day.
After Saturday, Cheika is also responsible for one of the most embarrassing sporting defeats in the country’s history. It wasn’t just the score, it was the hopeless manner of the entire farce.
Where were the signs of Cheika’s famous man management in a team full of losers lacking heart? Saturday was not a loss, it was an inept capitulation.
This is despite training together for four weeks there was no rhythm or continuity.
The game plan was confusing and inexplicable. Against England we held on to the ball too much. Against New Zealand we kicked it away over and over without any real sign of what Australia were hoping to achieve by doing this.
The lineout fell apart which was entirely predictable and only compounded the frustration of watching the ball hoofed around by a hopelessly out of form Bernard Foley.
Foley wasn’t the only out of form player selected. Tevita Kuridrani’s ongoing selection is mystifying when Samu Kerevi is such an able and in form replacement. What happened to competition for places and rewarding players in form?
One can only assume the same criticisms that Deans and McKenzie copped will be levelled at Cheika. Or they should be.
But Cheika is a protected species in the media. The ARU is also too scared of him to demand any meaningful explanations.
And McKenzie’s assassins obviously haven’t revolted and are unlikely to any time soon.
After all, when you spot in the side is guaranteed or you’re lying in an injury ward, there is no reason to revolt.
RubberLegs
Guest
Good article! We rarely see a forensic analysis of a coach's performance on this site. NZ papers published Dingoes numerous shortcomings - failure to use the bench etc. Quade will organise the play and Foley will revel in his simpler role. Perservering with Foley at #10 for so long is one of Chika's many errors.
Realist
Guest
Hooper, AAC, AAC's mum, Beale, Sydney Press, Miranda Devine, Alan Jones, Spiro, Lord...Cheika.
Realist
Guest
So it's Hooper that keeps selecting himself even though he is massively inferior to Pocock at 7. Makes sense.
Nige
Guest
Why would the ARU be too scared of Cheika??? Get rid of him now, the man cannot coach, his NSW should have won the SR title it's full of Wallabies, lazy but still Wallabies!!! This is all going to end in tears !!! after this weekend Aust rugby will achieve its lowest point in history, you can feel the score will be 52 to 12 victory to NZ!!! Last week the Wallabies were flat, lead in their legs, over trained by none other than yours truly, four weeks of hard work, over worked to the point of exhaustion and fatigue where there is nothing left except what we witnessed on the field....slow motion, slow reacting rugby team that should have been fresh!!!!! He complained that they were not fit enough against the English so they went at it and this is what was the result.....no brainer!!!
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Ewen McKenzie played the biggest role in the exit of Ewen McKenzie
wre01
Roar Guru
And what purpose would attributing my name to the article serve? As I have replied above, I don't see this as an attack on Michael Cheika at all. In fact, I have always been a fan of Cheika's style. What I have said is that: 1.The circumstances surrounding McKenzie's resignation were very poor and involved a clique of players revolting against his tenure (unjustified in my view and unAustralian). 2. One of the key reasons cited for the players losing confidence in McKenzie and Deans were selection policies and not being able to beat the AB's. 3. Cheika's selections are every bit as mystifying as Deans/ McKenzie and he has taken us further away from the AB's (while they are arguably transitioning) and lost a series 3nil to England. Given the above, I question where all the detractors of McKenzie and Deans are now and why the media is not being as harsh as they were with Deans and McKenzie.
Cynical Play
Guest
Spot on Rebel. This anonymous guy 'wre01' gets a soapbox from the Roar to dust off old conspiracy theories and put a fresh knife into the back of Cheika. Bottom feeding.
Cynical Play
Guest
Why haven't you got the guts to out your actual name to your 'article' which is a thinly disguised grubbing of the character of the currently Wallabies coach?
wre01
Roar Guru
Rebel Politics were killing the game before McKenzie and Deans but nobody complained then. Cheika should not be a protected species. Believe it or not, I'm a massive fan of his but there is something wrong right now, his team is showing no progress and he needs to be asked the same questions as Deans and McKenzie were.
wre01
Roar Guru
DH I don't think it is a 'dirty' story at all. It is merely pointing out that Cheika has to be judged by the same standards as Deans and McKenzie were. That is especially the case where the circumstances surrounding McKenzie's resignation looked like a coup and did not cover Aussie rugby in glory. That whole sorry episode was at odds with what Aussie rugby should stand for. If that loss (or the 3 nil defeat to England) had occurred on either of their watches they would be crucified by the press. Deans was constantly hammered about being a 'dou8ble agent' due to his selections. Yet Cheika's selections are every bit as mystifying and disjointed. Finally, I am not sure what 'success' you are talking about. Rugby in Australia is on its knees. That is not an exaggeration.
Dan in Devon
Guest
Give him time and see how he responds. 3-0 score line against England does not reflect the highly competitive nature of the games. There is some great young talent in his squad - Kerevi, McMahon, Hooper. But no coach will ransack a whole team. It will evolve over the coming year. The gameplan is confusing even if predictable. Needs to be simplified with more emphasis on support running and retaining possession at the ruck. Would like to see a flatter alignment and more chip/short kicking. No doubt Cheika has his ideas but he needs time. There is no magic wand.
Fin
Guest
Can you please list out who McKenzie's assassins were? I would be interested to know.
grapeseed
Guest
McKenzie got a draw and a one point loss in 2 of his last 3 matches against the ABs.
Xiedazhou
Guest
Oh really? Then why is this super coach Hooper not bringing the team together and showing us at least a glimpse of his super powers under his preferred coach Cheika. i suspect strongly that Hooper played a role in the exit of McKenzie, but I do not see that as a positive character trait.
Gerald Abelsohn
Guest
Rugby has become far to political in Australia.The Kiwis unite as one and everyone gives a little for the greater good. How Cheika could have gone into the game with the line out resources he did is beyond me.Our pool of players is small,but he hangs onto the older generation far to long.If they play overseas they should not play for the Wallabies,but we are just not giving the young generation the opportunity. They are hungry. We have a fly half who has a weak kicking fame.Why can we not kick goals? We have a captain who is obviously past his best.There is no mongrel in the team-no fear factor.The Kiwis play with lightening speed-we are pedestrian.Sure we cannot compete with the riches on offer elsewhere,but if we were to constantly win success in all areas of the game automatically follows.
sheek
Roar Guru
Insightful!
PeterK
Roar Guru
Deans had better players available, the quality just is not there. 2015 Cheika managed for the wallabies to way overachieve. Wallabies at about the level of Wales and Ireland now.
rebel
Guest
This article sums up the problem with Australian rugby. Not the content, but the fact it was written at all. Politics is killing the game here. What Australian rugby needs is everyone, from little Johnny playing in bare feet on a cold winters morning, right through to Billy Pulver, to work together to progress forward. The bickering be it interstate, those for and against Premier Rugby or just those at local board level is holding back what should be a world powerhouse.
ethan
Guest
It's a pity the whole McKenzie mess unravelled and we didn't get a longer period of time to see what he could manage. Although there were some thumpings, we did get mighty close to the ABs in his final game. I think Cheika deserves at least another year after this one to try and turn it around. Got to give guys time. But if there's no results after next year, then two years out from the next WC, we need to make a change. Although Deans had his flaws, he will probably feel vindicated to some extent that the coaches who took over haven't been able to achieve better. I do feel a great coach could get more out of the WBs, but I also feel that if Deans, McKenzie and Cheika all fail to raise the bar beyond the level they have, then maybe that is just our level.
Ruck
Guest
Finally an Aussie who gets it!! I believe the Final result was a little flattering to the Wallabies as well which has added to the blinkers. All but 3 points were scored when the AB's were down to 14 men. Smith was sent off just as the AB's were starting to really dominate and Kepu got away with murder and should have been binned if not sent from the field. I think your RC'p has also added to the blinkered "all well in Wallaby land". If Australia were honest with themselves, they would accept they had a great draw, beat a very flat AB team in the decider. A team that had just returned from SA and had it RWC squad announced in the lead up to the test. The following week at Eden Park should have sounded a few alarm bells, but the blinkers were well and truly on by then. 3 - 0 to England should have had Australian fans in a panic. Instead, they were told it was the three different refs and that England were so good, the AB's were lucky they didn't have to play them this year. Saturday night proved that analysis as a big fat lie. You're in trouble Australia. You have a coach who has done nothing with a team led by a bloke not fit enough for 80 minutes (which is actually in Australia's favour since he does nothing for the 60 minutes he is on the field).