Michael Cheika is adamant he will have no issues juggling the unique feat of coaching international teams from different countries in different codes on the same weekend.
It’s certainly been an eventful time in the UK for the former Wallabies coach and his Lebanese team with players making a citizen’s arrest before their final group game win over Jamaica.
It came after Cheika had his laptop stolen from the team’s Manchester hotel and another intruder attempted to pinch some of the Cedars’ GPS trackers earlier this week.
Players chased the perpetrator into the street and apprehended him before the police came to take him away.
“It has been a bit of a crazy week with all that happening and trying to not have it as a distraction,” Cheika said.
“They say we (Lebanon) are part-timers, I think the other part-time (work) we’re doing is security. The first thing I’d steal would be the Lebanese jerseys, I don’t care about the computers. But everyone’s handled those distractions pretty well, we’re pushing on past that.
“They thought they were on an episode of Law & Order, the fellas.”
Cheika has guided Lebanon to a Rugby League World Cup quarter-final meeting with Australia after they beat Jamaica 74-12 in front of 5,006 in Leigh.
The win also guaranteed their qualification for the next tournament in France in 2025.
But in the short term, Cheika will have to navigate between coaching in league and union on the same weekend.
The Cedars meet the Kangaroos in Huddersfield on Friday (local time) before Cheika returns to his other role as the head coach of the Argentina rugby union team.
The Pumas face England at Twickenham in London, nearly 200 miles away, on Sunday.
“It’s going to be one day here, one day there,” Cheika said.
“Everything here has to be nailed down first because we (Lebanon) are in a World Cup.
“There’s been a lot of talk about it (the juggling) but for me it’s about doing it properly and to do it where I’m making a contribution to both teams and an important one as the coach.
“I think all the boys understand the scenario.”
Lebanon warmed up for their meeting with Australia by running in 13 tries. Josh Mansour grabbed a hat-trick, forward Charbel Tasipale and winger Abbas Miski registered tryscoring doubles.
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Mitchell Moses was taken off at half-time with Mikey Tannous, Elie El-Zakham, Reece Robinson, Khaled Rajab, Adam Doueihi and Tony Maroun also crossing.
It wasn’t all gloom for Jamaica who finished with their highest points tally of the tournament courtesy of tries from winger Mo Agoro and prop Jordan Andrade.
Australia will represent a much tougher test than the Reggae Warriors, with Cheika aware of the challenge that awaits his side.
Fullback Jacob Kiraz and forward Kayne Kalache are expected to return from concussion protocols where they will face the nation of their birth, something Sydneysider Cheika felt would serve as motivation while representing their ancestral ties.
“You don’t play footy if you don’t (dare to dream),” Cheika said. “Our job is to try to defy the logic and try and get ourselves in a situation where we can apply some pressure. It’s that underdog mentality that no one gives you a chance.
“Because a lot of the lads are from Australia, this is a great match-up for them and a challenge that a lot of the players want to go meet head on.”
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