AUSTRALIA’S UNDER-FIRE COACH Michael Cheika insisted today that the Wallabies will come out firing at this year’s Rugby World Cup, despite a wretched year of results.
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The two-time champions won just four of 13 Tests last year, but Cheika — who led Australia to the 2015 final — once again shrugged off criticism.
“We will be in good shape when we need to be,” he said at the Australian embassy in Tokyo. “It’s going to be an open World Cup for sure — not just because of how the teams have performed leading up to here, but also because it’s in Japan.
“It’s going to be very different, a different atmosphere at the games,” added Cheika, whose side have slipped to sixth in the world since he steered them to the 2015 World Cup final. “We’ve got a bit to do before then, but the players can’t wait and the lucky ones who get picked can’t wait to get on the plane.”
Australia take on Fiji in Sapporo on 21 September in their Pool D opener, before facing Six Nations Grand Slam winners Wales, Uruguay and Georgia.
World Cup winners in 1991 and 1999, the Wallabies have done little in the run-up to this year’s tournament to suggest they can capture a third title.
But Australia’s new director of rugby Scott Johnson last week expressed confidence that Cheika’s players were “not a million miles off” being able to get on a roll and upset the favourites.
“We have as much chance as anyone else,” said Johnson. “Our rugby DNA is acumen and skill, and ‘Cheik’ has got great drive, great passion to get a team going good.”
Cheika had his players running up steep hills in a punishing January fitness camp in an attempt to knock them into shape for a brutal World Cup year.
However, with bitter rivals New Zealand again the team to beat as they chase an unprecedented third successive World Cup, Australia are dealing with backroom changes after the sacking of attack coach Stephen Larkham.