- Rory Keane reports from London.
AUSTRALIA MADE A statement to the rest of the rugby world on Saturday night.
Michael Cheika’s side ripped a callow and naïve England side apart on their home turf at Twickenham. As Stuart Lancaster’s troops headed for the exit door, the rest of the competing countries could only sit back and marvel at the pace and invention of the Bernard Foley-inspired Australians.
From their hotel in London, Jonathan Sexton and his Ireland team-mates watched the Wallabies throw down the gauntlet to the rest of the tournament’s participants.
The transformation of the Wallabies under Cheika over the past 12 months has been stunning, and Sexton is not one bit surprised with the former Leinster coach’s success.
“I was texting him last week,” said Sexton. “I still send the odd text to him. He wished me luck at the start of the World Cup and I was the same.
“We’ve always got on very well and I was delighted to see him, he’s proved what a good coach he is. He’s turned around Leinster, he’s turned around New South Wales and he’s turned around Australia, they look like a really formidable team, they look like one of the favourites to go on and win the World Cup now.
“So fair play to him and hopefully I’ll catch up with him after the World Cup.”
Cheika left his mark at Leinster, Stade Francais and the Waratahs before Australia came calling last October. Head coach Ewen McKenzie had resigned in the aftermath of his side’s 29-28 last-ditch loss against the All Blacks amid the Di Patston/Kurtley Beale text scandal.
Cheika was barely a week in the job when he had to bring the Wallabies to Twickenham last November. A traumatic mauling at scrum-time followed as England powered to a 26-17 victory.
Australia returned to England HQ last weekend a completely different beast. Spearheaded by scrum coach Mario Ledezma, the Wallabies pulverized England up front. It was just one of the many improvements that Cheika has overseen over the past year.
Speaking at Ireland’s team base in London yesterday, Sexton gave a special insight into Cheika’s methods: “Everyone’s probably scared shitless of him…. if I was being honest.
“He knows his rugby as well, he’s a very clever guy but he does have that presence where he’s a pretty scary guy when you get on the wrong side of him.”
Australia’s high-octane performance served as a reminder to Ireland of the standards that will be needed to progress further in the tournament.
After routine wins over Canada and Romania, the Azzurri provided a notable step up in intensity. France will offer a whole new challenge again this weekend in Cardiff.
“They do what they have to do and then they turn it on for the big games. So we’re under no illusions what’s going to happen at the weekend.
“They’re going to come at us pretty hard and I think they’ll be inspired by the atmosphere that’s going to be in the Millennium Stadium.”
Yet another wonderful plan
We have barely a 9 team second tier at present , and these geniuses want to create a third!
I know it’s only a plan and historically the fai can’t be trusted but at least its encouraging. Hopefully it’s not all talk as per usual and some of it is put into action, because we deserve a league with a good standard and up to date facilities. Football in Ireland has huge potential plus it can only improve the international set up with having a stronger domestic league. The standard is improving but it can be so much better if more people starting investing in itbin whatever way possible. That can be as simple as buying merchandise from your local club or going to a game to at least give it a go. I implore people to get involved!
@John Kelly: stop with the positivity, your kind aren’t welcome around here. You have to moan about John Delaney and blazers and our poor team. It’s all about the thumbs don’t ya know.
@Gerry McCaughey: I wasn’t talking to you anyway ya pleb
The last line to me (quote regarding Brexit) epitomises the FAI for me.
The fact they have relied far to heavily on another football association to nurture our own talent and wash their hands of creating a viable league system on a divided island suddenly shifted into a blinkered vision of what they dillusionally ‘wish’ to achieve.
Kids playing matches every weekend on waterlogged pitches that often are not even flat. Long ball is all they can play. When they go to school its GAA and Rugby.
@Mogh Roith: our pitches are grand; you’d want to see what they have to play on in Brazil, and yet look at what they produce.
@Philip Fox: Brazil also has a population of over 200 million
@Philip Fox: Croatia is the like for like example. Similar population….much stronger league abd under a weak FA.
We need to aim higher avd longer term than 3 years away.
@Mogh Roith: totally untrue to say “long ball is all they can play” You obviously haven’t been to watch schoolboy football in recent years.
@Sean Coady: ah ya sure pass and move is grand when you avoid the puddle. You obviously haven’t a clue yourself.
When are they building Eircom Park?
@Genera L Consensus: Where oh where is our Bertie Bowl?
Believe all that bulls,,t and you will Believe anything
Targetting 50% retention rate of new referees is low. They need to crack down on clubs to manage the sidelines to ensure refs are not abused or harassed the way they are.
What about an all island league, FAI COUNTY TEAMS??
@David Crosbie: How many changes have been made over the last 10 years by the GAA to the league and championship? 140 years on the go and they are STILL trying to get a county based system right!
@sean o’dhubhghaill: maybe the GAA should look at the AFL format,
Would love to see it happening. We can live in hope.