England have hit back at a bemused Michael Cheika, claiming Ricky Stuart will add value to an England’s team chasing Rugby World Cup quarter-final success against the Wallabies.
Stuart and some of his coaching assistants from the Canberra Raiders arrived in Oita on Tuesday and joined the English squad straight away, upon invitation from their coach Eddie Jones.
Stuart is officially there in an observational role and Cheika questioned on Monday why an Australian rugby league coach would join a team from another country and another code who are preparing for their biggest game in four years.
Cheika suggested the English players would find the situation “weird”.
However, England assistant coach John Mitchell said Stuart’s presence was invaluable because of his very recent experience of another big stage – the NRL grand final nine days ago, when the Raiders lost to the Sydney Roosters.
“They’ve just recently played in one of the major rugby league competitions in the world. You’d be stupid if you weren’t able to gain something from that,” Mitchell said.
“Ricky is not the only coach from rugby league or any other sport that has come in.
“We have them on a regular basis and so at the end of the day we want to see what we are doing that can be improved and we like to learn off others and that’s the great opportunity we have.”
Albo
Roar Rookie
Jones is a massive stirrer and loves creating these distractions, and Cheika always jumps in with both feet and glass jaw!
Max
Guest
Ricky Stuart played for the Wallabies in 1987. Having an ex Wallaby involved in coaching another country's rugby team is not new.
Bodger
Roar Rookie
Anyone in the Australian team got Stuart's number you reckon? ;-)
Bodger
Roar Rookie
Why would you let a bunch of Australians into your training before playing Australia at the World Cup. I'd question the sanity of Jones and the English about this. Have they really let Australians into their training to observe, surely they jest. Maybe we should get Clive Woodward in to observe. :-)
Colvin Brown
Roar Guru
Yes or no on the nationality aspect if you are a professional coach or personal friends of the person inviting. But really, you'd think England should be match ready now at only a few days before the quarterfinal and maybe more appropriate would be some inspiring Englishman (like a VC awardee, or someone holding some other high award for courage, leadership valor). Or how about Prince Charles or even Boris, haha.
Bradds
Roar Rookie
This was organised months ago before ?v? was known. Fake news...
MikeJ
Roar Rookie
Yup, they wanna get Ricky to see what a loss feels like on a big stage..
Lara
Guest
I can see a coach trying to get a new perspective from external sources . Invitations to overseas coaches isn’t a bad thing n they would probably be flattered, they are professionals so they are entitled to accept. My question would be , if your nation is playing n is a major player, would you think about loyalty to your countryman n maybe not accept on this occasion but at a more appropriate time.
adastra32
Roar Rookie
...and he has not said a word.
Drew
Roar Rookie
... 'chuck, chuck'...
Jockstar
Guest
It is weird and if England lose it will be because they have too many distractions. Eddie has gone overboard, like Eddie Ricky loves too blame everyone else. I can feel an upset .
Adam
Roar Guru
Robbie Deans
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Meanwhile, Cheika doesn’t even think he can learn from opposition teams...
SandBox
Roar Guru
So if England win, it’s NZ or Ireland (I think). Wonder who Eddie will recruit to try and throw those teams off. Henry, McCaw or BOD maybe
piru
Roar Rookie
100% Eddie loves a bit of psychological warfare
Sideline Eye
Guest
Did anybody have a problem with Wayne Bennett coaching AGAINST Australia?
paulie
Guest
I think it might work against England. I cant imagine Ricky and his staff would be barracking for the Poms and maybe the English players will be thinking to themselves what/Why is he bringing a Aussie prof from another code into the change room. Could become a distraction
Paul
Roar Guru
I fail to see the problem here. A coach from one code thinks a coach from another code has something he can offer in order to help a team win the biggest tournament in World Rugby, so he invites him to observe. It's not as though Ricky is going to completely take over the England squad and tell them how to play. Stuart might also get over there and Eddie Jones uses nothing Ricky offers. At the end of the day, this is a nothing and Cheika is being silly to even comment about it.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Haha - I would keep the water!
Nat
Roar Guru
I think you've all missed the trick here. Ricky isn't there mentoring, he's recruiting! Cockney will be the 1st language in the ACT next year.