Michael Cheika insists he doesn’t feel his job’s under pressure as the Wallabies begin picking up the pieces from a disastrous Bledisloe Cup campaign.
Taking stock after losing 29-9 to the All Blacks in Saturday’s second Test in Wellington – and having conceded 10 tries while scoring just one in back-to-back clashes with the world champions – Cheika’s team badly need to show progress in the rest of the Rugby Championship campaign.
They’ll regroup after a week off before tackling South Africa in Brisbane on Saturday week.
Another defeat would bring Australia’s losing streak to seven Tests – the same number that led to the sacking of Eddie Jones in 2005, the team’s most unsuccessful run in the professional era.
Three of those losses were to New Zealand and three to England, widely rated the best two teams in world rugby.
But another bad loss at home against a mediocre Springboks team, who have split their first two Tests with Argentina, would crank up pressure on them.
Cheika appears to be feeling the heat, if his post-match spray at referee Romain Poite – who he alleged ignored captain Stephen Moore and also had a secret meeting with the All Blacks, which counterpart Steve Hansen subsequently refuted – is anything to go by.
But he doesn’t feel his position is in any jeopardy.
“I don’t think I am (under pressure),” Cheika told reporters in Sydney.
“The only person who puts pressure on me is myself.
“I’m not worried about that stuff.”
The Springboks were disappointing in a 26-24 defeat by the Pumas in Argentina on Saturday night and may present the Wallabies with an opportunity to play themselves back into form.
However, there is plenty of work to do.
Australia barely had a chance in attack in Wellington, running the ball 187m to New Zealand’s 411m, and were held tryless as the rampant hosts crossed the white line four times en route to clinching the Bledisloe Cup for a 14th straight year.
With no injured players expected back for Brisbane, Cheika has already declared his intention to stick with Quade Cooper and Bernard Foley as the team’s twin playmakers, while lock Adam Coleman brought some promising vigour in just his second Test appearance – if overdone at times.
Young backline utility Reece Hodge showed some signs in his debut off the bench, including kicking a monster 52m penalty, that suggest he could become a regular for years to come.
But apparent glaring problems remain, including lineout woes and a lack of ball-running forwards, especially a power No.8, to provide much-needed go-forward.
Vice-captain Michael Hooper believes, despite their two Bledisloe beltings, a win isn’t too far away.
“We made huge improvements during the week,” he said.
“Still the scoreboard didn’t paint a great picture but as far as intent of the guys at training and in the game, you can’t build that sort of stuff and not get results in the back end of the year.
“(I’m not) hoping, I’m knowing there’s some good to come from this.”
Shane D
Roar Rookie
He isn't worried or under pressure because he was clever enough to negotiate a good contract that the ARU would struggle to pay out.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Why does he have to go?
Terry
Guest
Daniel Herbert Mark Ella Ben Tune Elton Flatley David Wilson Petrer Slattery Simon Poidevin Mark Connors Matt Cockbailn Jeremy Paul Michael Foley Dan Crowley
Terry
Guest
How`d the lineout go without him champion ..The worst stats for a Wallaby lineout ever.. Did you know that?? Or do you make up stuff as you go along..
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
What do you think the players do at Super sides...? They play together and form combinations. Not playing against amateurs that have to work on Monday is not hindering the progress of professionals.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
In the context of available Australian locks he is, and that's all that matters because that's the only players his selection is considered against.
dirtyrottenscoundrel
Guest
Keep 'loosing' and checkers will be your go.
PiratesRugby
Guest
Richard, you sound like a fellow second rower! It is frustrating to see the wallabies so completely dominated. I can't remember a worse performance. Such an unbalanced forward pack. Have to drop either Hooper or Pocock. Need a tallish jumping 8 and 2 real locks with another on the bench (not a 6 or a non-jumping lock). So Arnold, Coleman and Douglas as locks and Timani at 8. Timani hasn't played well as 8 at the Rebels but Chieka is a former 8 and, apparently, the best coach in the world. Moore is not throwing well and TPN has never been great. I'd rather start TPN right now for other reasons.
System of a Downey Jr
Roar Rookie
I think Cheika could take Australia to a winless season and still not resign.'nah mate, not worried at all.' His style is great if you're winning, but no one seems to like it now he's losing. I think the team are basically scared of him. Or even suffering from Stockholm syndrome. Moore clearly hasn't been up to much for about three years now and he's not only still in the team but also the captain. Get an even tempered coach, give pocock the captaincy and watch the team improve.
Squirrel
Guest
That is Their lies the main question. Where are the genuine stars. The domestic comps and the academies have been neglected and combinations are not being forged as players don't play together and just go off to a super side if they have talent without forging partnerships that come from club rugby. It used to be maintained as they went to qld or nsw , now the players are split over 5 teams
Ralph
Roar Guru
Chris Latham Willie O. John Eales Stephen Larkham Michael Lynagh Nick Farr-Jones George Gregan Joe Roff David Campese Owen Finnegan David Giffin George Smith Phil Kearns
DCNZ
Guest
I don't get it, as a kiwi, why aren't Australia producing players like: Roger Gould Campo Matt Burke Justin Harrison Toutai Kefu Tim Horan Matt Rodgers Wendell Sailor Jason Little James O'Connor Digby Ioane just some of the Wallabies i have watched over time ....genuine question, i don't get it. dc
Brian Marshall
Roar Rookie
I agree. Barrett missed a few goals and the All Blacks passed into touch a few times. The Wallabies were lucky not to lose by more.
Dante
Guest
Don, I can't agree with you more. At the highest level of the game, surely it's common sense to choose players in their normal positions. Players are specialists in their positions, with the exception of rare individuals (e.g. Ashley-Cooper). Test matches are no time to experiment. For example, Cheika seems to think wing is an easy position, so throw any back in there, Mogg, Horne, Haylett-Petty, Hodge. When they don't set the world alight, their careers get burned, not Cheika's.
Don
Roar Rookie
You seem to consistently pick up Roarers comments mentioning specific players being selected in non regular positions being a weak area of our game, and then you refer to it as us blaming them for losing the games? Most of us aren't blaming an individual or even a few individuals. However, there is pretty universal criticism of the game plan. The player combinations Cheika selects are going to be critqued harshly because it signals no change to his game plan. The second playmaker option using a guy who never plays 12 was a mistake. And then playing Kerevi at 13 instead of 12 only added to the error. Foley has now played 5 poor games in a row after a pretty mediocre SR season. How about we just consider his position on his form then? Cheika has found a unique way of selecting sides where the whole (the team) is actually weaker than the sum of it's parts.
Markus
Guest
Simmons' position in the team has been in question every single Test he has played, nobody can claim that he has benefitted from favouritism. And yet for every other lock who has received a start over him over the years, he is still there. Simmons is still one of the top three locks in Australian rugby at present. He may not be world class, but how many Wallabies players are.
McCaw was onside?
Guest
You think they cant sack him? Why blame Foley and Cooper? Only because you want to.
McCaw was onside?
Guest
Simmons isnt a great lock. He is a QLDer and thats the only reason you support him. If he was from NSW you would be howling everytime he got selected, calling him one of Cheikas buddies and a favourite.
RugbyFan
Guest
If he doesn't feel under pressure after this many losses in a row he's either lying or the ARU and the Wallabies have completely lost it and Australian Rugby is heading down a dark and ugly path that they may not recover from in some time.
Don
Roar Rookie
Geez, my concern isn't that Cheika doesn't feel under pressure to hold on to his job. Why would he? He's signed until the end of 2019. My concern is the line that says ..."Cheika has already declared his intention to stick with Quade Cooper and Bernard Foley as the team’s twin playmakers"... That tells me he still isn't taking notice of where we are weak and taking steps to improve it. He'll tell us he's fully comitted to the "Pooper" duo starting against the Boks too...and that he's not concerned about the lineout.