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'I don't know if they're in denial' - Cheika pulls former team apart in on-air rant
By AAP
Michael Cheika wonders if the NSW Waratahs are in denial after a record-breaking 59-23 Super Rugby loss to the Highlanders left his former franchise staring down the barrel of an historic and humiliating winless season.
The Highlanders piled on nine tries to two at Forsyth Barr Stadium, extending the Waratahs' unprecedented losing streak to 12 matches while racking up their most points ever in a match against NSW.
Sitting last, the Waratahs have now conceded 225 points at an average of more than 56 a game in their four Trans-Tasman encounters.
Waratahs vice-captain Alex Newsome blamed breakdown issues and an inability to exit their own half after scoring points for their latest loss, leaving former Wallabies coach Cheika bewildered.
"I don't know if they're in denial here. I don't if I'm watching a different game of footy but they're not talking about defence at all," Cheika, the Waratahs' only Super Rugby-winning coach, said from the Nine commentary booth.
"It's just about simply making tackles. I think that comes down to personal ownership of the defence."
Cheika said not only did the Waratahs make poor defensive reads and rush out of the line, they lacked desperation and he questioned the players' commitment.
"It probably goes back to mindset as well," he said. "I understand they've had so many changes as well and there's a lot of players out (but) those things are part of who you are as a team.
"That's probably something they're going to have to work on - about 'who are we, we've got to go out and make our tackles' and then afterwards own it and move on to the next thing."
If they can't beat the Chiefs next Saturday night in Sydney, the Waratahs will complete a season without a win for the first time in 35 years of professional rugby.
Newsome spoke pre-game of the emotional toll the Waratahs' dismal campaign had taken on the players and Saturday night's soul-destroying display won't have helped.
Somewhat miraculously, given their "touch rugby" defence - as New Zealand commentators put it - the Waratahs actually led at the half-hour mark.
But schoolboy errors cost them dearly as the Highlanders converted a 33-23 halftime lead into a commanding bonus-point triumph with four unanswered five-pointers after the break.
"It's the story of our season, really," Newsome said.
Cheika said he felt for Waratahs co-coaches Chris Whitaker and Jason Gilmore and for young props Andrew Tuala and Darcy Breen, who held their own at scrum time only to be let down by teammates.
"Coach Whitaker must be going mad up there, honestly," Cheika said. "Like, some of the stuff they do is awesome and some of the stuff they do you want to close your eyes."
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Latest Comments
SCW really dislikes Eddie, doesn't he?
His words in 2019 before the RWC final that he now says should have resulted in Eddie's firing:
"Was Saturday’s sensational World Cup semi-final win over New Zealand England’s greatest ever performance? Yes, unquestionably, would be my answer."
So let's fire the coach one game later? Duh!
Go to commentsIreland have every right to back themselves for a win. But the key variable has little to do with recent record etc.
The reality is that Ireland are a settled team with tons of continuity, an established style, and a good depth chart, whereas NZ are fundamentally rebuilding. The questions are all about what Razor is doing and how far along he is in that program.
NZ are very close to really clicking. Against England all of the chatter is about how England could have closed out a win, but failed to do so. This has obscured the observation that NZ were by far the more creative and effective in attack, beyond the 3-1 try differential and disallowed tries. They gave away a lot of unnecessary penalties, and made many simple errors (including knock-ons and loose kicks). Those things are very fixable, and when they do so we are once again going to be staring at a formidable NZ team.
Last week we heard the England fans talking confidently about their chances against NZ, but England did not end up looking like the better team on the field or the scoreboard. The England defense was impressive enough, but still could not stop the tries.
Ireland certainly has a better chance, of course, but NZ is improving fast, and I would not be surprised at a convincing All Black win this week. It may turn on whether NZ can cut out the simple mistakes.
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