Michael Cheika isn’t convinced personnel changes to the Wallabies coaching staff are needed in order for the team to climb back up world rugby’s pecking order.
Slipping to a historic low of seventh, the Wallabies coach will next week present to the Rugby Australia board his plan to improve the team’s performance ahead of next year’s World Cup.
Cheika didn’t believe sweeping changes to his set-up were required but is looking for greater collaboration from the Super Rugby franchises.
“We’ve discussed what we need to change internally and I think before we go chopping guys or changing things around you need to understand what we need to change internally to make a difference because maybe what we were doing before hasn’t achieved the same outcome,” Cheika told Fox Sports’ Kick and Chase.
“You need to give the opportunity for changes to sink in and make a difference.”
Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle also appeared in a pre-recorded interview and floated the idea of a head selector.
Cheika said he hadn’t had any discussions about such an appointment.
“No-one’s spoken to me about that … I will say this though, I’m not just picking numbers out of a hat – I take advice from coaches who’ve been in the job in the past,” he said.
“I’m always taking counsel on those things and I think more often than not we’re making the right calls.”
Cheika said he was looking for more buy-in from Super Rugby sides, hinting at the frustration of the Brumbies choosing to play three Wallabies just before the June Ireland series when he wanted them rested.
“There’s no doubt that the more we can collaborate with Super Rugby with what we can deliver around fitness leading into the international season, that’s definitely something we can push for,” Cheika said.
“This year we’ve had moments where we’ve tried to manage that but we haven’t been able to get a handle on it completely.
“But there’s a willingness from Super Rugby coaches that I speak with regularly to change and improve so that’s the biggest thing.”
Cheika also revealed that his famous half-time spray of the players when they were trailing 31-7 against Argentina last weekend didn’t include any “technical information”.
He said the response was more than just scoring tries, which delivered a 45-34 victory.
“It was a time when it had to get personal … people have talked about the chat at halftime but you’ve got go out and do it and they did,” Cheika said.
“What they just had to do was understand that this is personal, let’s do what we know how to do, do it as best we can, and see what happens.”
Castle was happy to see the group respond to Cheika to secure the win but said the question still needed to be asked about the first half performance.
She said that while Cheika had a contract through to the World Cup, the board wanted to see more detail.
“He’s the head coach and it’s his responsibility to put that plan together and he will be presenting that to the board,” she said.
“We want to see what is the plan? What is the plan to recognise that we can see improved performances?”
Keilidh
Roar Rookie
On a positive note, at least now we know he is not just drawing names out of a hat.
Keilidh
Roar Rookie
I think the half time talk was "Well if you guys think you know better, go out and do it your way and we'll see how that turns out"
glider
Guest
if this was EPL, AFL, NRL - they would be gone. Besides Castle - what the hell is Eales, Robinson and Shaw doing - surely they cant walk into a board room meeting with Cheika and digest any of this as acceptable. Enough of the rebuilding horseshite - been rebuilding for ten years or more now Enough of - not enough players - proportionally to population and other sports we still have the same percentage of players to draw from. Coach has been talking in circles / kidding himself for the last three years and if you listen closely - always making or posing convenient excuses and ready made get out of jail free statements ..... like the crap that came out before Salta " Losing in Argentina is not the end of the road " Its past the joke now!
Richard
Guest
Note to readers, the last line contained the word antidepressants. Really not sure what automatic typo/spellcheck/tech my of its own added that. Cheers
Richard
Guest
Gee, I had to take a second upon reading this. The CEO wants to see a plan for improvement 1year out from the WC, Cheika pushes back on a selection overlord, cheika passes blame onto super 12 coaches et al. The CEO who knows very little about rugby wants to see a plan. So cheika puts together a lovely power point presentation etc....or he kind of says please go away as despite all appearances I know what I am doing. On selection, cheika says everything is alright because I reach out to previous coaches and we are all in agreement. Okay, who are they and what exactly is your selection policy. And we don’t even go near strategy and tactics. I guess all we can do is sit back and hope for the best. Or maybe I am just reading this wrong. Maybe the wallabies crossed an important bridge last weekend or maybe the inmates are still in charge of the asylum. Buckle the seatbelts and lets hope that mediocrity doesn’t rein. Just as antidepressants, I would personally like to see the wallabies win more games in between world cups or is that expecting too much. Cheers
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Good quote. What is a horse tailer?
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Good to have you back PK The wallabies do need a motivator. So often they just don't seem up for it. As many have noted, the players are still behind and buying into Chieka. With a selection team and the right technical coaches we could be there. But like many I'm losing hope that this will happen
Frank
Guest
My other concern is that while Cheika remains coach, without selection input from others, he will absolutely stick with the same core players who, unless they are dumped short term to fire them up, will continue to play sub par rugby.
Charlie Turner
Guest
Thugby, Cheika has been babbling since the first England test 3 1/2 years ago. You simply can't make this nonsense up. He is sounding like Captain Schettino of the Concordia who admitted "I have to take some responsibility for the fact that I made a judgement error. This time I ordered the turn too late".
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Sand, meet Ostrich! Every match we see pi$$-poor tackling and shooters leaving huge holes in the line, lateral attacks doing nothing (at times looks like they are all rushing off to the pie stand), everyone else watching D.Pocock do his thing in rucks, a lineout all over the shop and field kicking to make Wally weep. Oh and did I mention tactics? And coach Cheika's answer "oh it's fine mate, we don't need changes to disrupt things, the players just need to do it better". Shoot me, please! And is it just me or did others have to read Cheika's words twice to get what he was trying to say with this verbage "“We’ve discussed what we need to change internally and I think before we go chopping guys or changing things around you need to understand what we need to change internally to make a difference because maybe what we were doing before hasn’t achieved the same outcome,” wtf????
Buk
Guest
Definitely with you on the Reds score, & Oz rugby at such a low would not wish it on any SR side that was in reasonable form - even the Tahs. Doing well in SR brings a bunch of players with some winning confidence/form into teh national team - which we sure need
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
1. I don't remember nearly the same level of negativity prior to the last world cup; 2. Rugby is more than just world cups – there are four years of rugby between world cups, and Cheika's Wallabies have thus far had unacceptably pathetic results in the nearly three years since the last one; 3. In the world cup we beat a horribly out of form England, had a decent win over a Welsh team we have beaten about 13 times in a row, got through the quarterfinal largely due to a refereeing blunder against Scotland and then an inconsistent Argentina – hardly a run of fantastic wins.
MitchO
Guest
Good players like to play and they like to contribute to the team. So whilst I understand players play a lot and may need a refresher I am sure a lot of guys you want playing for Wallabies feel a responsibility to help out their super rugby clubs. That is not the same issue as giving an injured Genia a week off.
MitchO
Guest
Fionn, I understand your point is that Banks may have the something extra that we are looking for and I think he should put in their for Korobeiti but DHP has been playing well at fullback so be nice. That at least is a it's not broke. Leave DHP at fullback to settle in. Folau to play "strike winger" and Banks to play good winger/fullback. I like a lot of what I see of Maddocks as a player but notwithstanding that he is not a winger, I think he is still mentally a season or so green from handling test match rugby. In super rugby he made some mistakes and dropped some ball that a player of his physical talents should not have. He'll get to very high level but he still plays like a young guy.
RogerTA
Roar Rookie
So if there's nothing wrong with the coaching staff it must be all the players problem then Checks?
Dd
Guest
Funny thing is you guys were all super negative before and during the last world cup. They made the final.
brian
Guest
No plan B is just plan A but it is yelled at you louder
brian
Guest
I would suspect the national/provincial/district coaching in NZ is also quite inclusive. I don’t see that in Australian rugby. More exclusive given the historical strengths of district clubs
Dahl
Roar Rookie
Well. That should be taken as his resignation. No idea what the problem is. And no plans to change anything. But maybe it's the s15 coaches at fault... Wholesale changes needed.
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
Spot on mate. So no change till he goes