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Quade Cooper's salty online remark regarding Michael Cheika quitting the Wallabies
By Liam Heagney
Confirmation that Michael Cheika won’t seek re-appointment to continue as Wallabies coach had drawn the ire of his one-time out-half Quade Cooper.
The volatile Cheika, who admitted before the World Cup that he would stand down if Australia didn’t win the 2019 tournament in Japan, has been as good as his word, confirming on Sunday in Oita that his 68-game tenure had ended on the back of their comprehensive 16-40 quarter-final defeat to England.
However, his decision to quit wasn’t entirely welcomed by Cooper, his old sparring partner. The maverick playmaker won just 20 of his 70 caps during the Cheika era - only eight as a starter - and he was last capped off the bench versus Italy in June 2017.
Responding to a tweet from former England international Ugo Moyne, who had retweeted a Fox Sports News story confirming that Cheika was finished as Australian boss, Cooper replied: ‘If he actually cared about Aus rugby he would have done it a while ago.’
Cooper’s salty remark quickly started trending online, with more than one thousand people soon hitting the like button on Twitter and more than 200 people retweeting his view that Cheika had very much overstayed his welcome as Wallabies boss.
While Cheika initially did well during his five years in charge of Australia, guiding them to the final of a 2015 World Cup where Cooper started just once as fly-half at the tournament, his results in recent times left much to be desired.
Defeat to England in Japan meant Australia had won on just 10 occasions in their 23 matches since June 2018, meaning that even if Cheika sought to be reappointed for the 2020 season, it was highly likely his application would not have been successful.
In confirming earlier that he was stepping down, the outspoken 52-year-old said: “It is no secret I have no relationship with the CEO (Raelene Castle) and not much with the chairman.”
WATCH: Michael Cheika's media conference on Saturday following Australia's elimination to England
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Latest Comments
Don't think you've watched enough. But let's see how the future pans out. I'm quietly confident we have a row of 10's lined uo who would each start in many really good teams.
Go to commentsHopefully Joe stays where he is. That would mean Les, McKellar, larkham and Cron should as well. It’s the stability we need in the state programs. But, if Joe goes, RA with its current financial situation will be forced into promoting from within. And this will likely destabilise other areas.
To better understand some of the entrenched bitterness of those outside of NZ and NSW (as an example 😂), Nic, there is probably a comparison to the old hard heads of welsh rugby who are still stuck in the 1970s. Before the days where clubs merged, professionalism started, and the many sharp knives were put into the backs of those who loved the game more than everyone else. I’m sure you know a few... But given your comparison of rugby in both wales and Australia, there are a few north of the tweed that will never trust a kiwi or NSWelshman because of historical events and issues over the history of the game. It is what it is. For some, time does not heal all wounds. And it is still festering away in some people. Happy holidays to you. All the best in 2025.
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