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Report: Michael Cheika in firing line over Blake Ferguson arrest
By Sam Smith
Former Wallabies boss Michael Cheika is reportedly in the firing line over the arrest of ex-NRL star Blake Ferguson on the eve of the Japan Rugby League One season.
Ferguson was sacked by Green Rockets Tokatsu without playing a game for the Japanese club on January 2 after he was arrested on suspicion of possessing illegal drugs following an altercation with another person.
The Green Rockets have since apologised for Ferguson's actions, but the club are reportedly piling pressure on Cheika to keep his job as a result of the fiasco, which has left Ferguson facing a potential five-year jail term.
Cheika, the ex-Wallabies boss and 2015 World Rugby Coach of the Year, signed a deal to join the Green Rockets as a director of rugby last year and, according to Fox Sports, was key in bringing Ferguson to the club.
Fox Sports reports that Cheika "is under pressure to hold onto his job" as a result of Ferguson's arrest, which comes after he played only three pre-season matches for the Green Rockets after joining from the NRL.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Green Rockets said that it plans "to take disciplinary action against the director in charge of sports business promotion and team executives after appropriate measures are implemented".
The club added it was "deeply apologetic" for their new recruits actions and confirmed it would forge ahead and play its opening match of the season against the Yokohama Canon Eagles in Kashiwa on Saturday.
The decision to play the match comes in stark contrast to previous measures taken by Japanese clubs and leagues embroiled in drug scandals.
In 2020, Kiwi lock Joel Everson served 23 days in a Japanese prison after testing positive for the use of cocaine while playing for Hino Red Dolphins.
The year beforehand, two Toyota Verblitz players - Steven Yates and Ryota Kabashima - were both arrested seperately for similar offences.
On all occasions, games were suspended either by the players' clubs or by the league itself in a mark of how seriously drug offences are taken in Japan.
A former Kangaroos and New South Wales representative, Ferguson spent 13 seasons in the NRL, where he made almost 250 appearances and scored 126 tries for the Cronulla Sharks, Canberra Raiders, Sydney Roosters and Parramatta Eels.
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Think we have to accept we have been on the slide for a while now.Still interesting to see the repeated media pieces about the myth of the ABs slipping-I would say slipped past tense.In part don’t we have to give credit for the improvement of other nations particularly Ireland?Isnt that good for the game?Are we beginning to feel the impact of losing the Boks from Super rugby and maybe soon TRC?I would agree we are also ran right now so will be interesting to see how we progress-assuming we do!Isnt that part of sport though to be in improvement mode?Back to the stats though I think the Boks were under 60% leading into 2019?Now with the focus on the RWC does it matter so much what you are doing between tournaments?You just get through your group(remembering the ABs qualified 2nd in 2023)and then you have 3 matches to win the thing.
Go to commentsThe ABs have more than enough back line guys so don’t see issue there. Just the balance at center and feel time for Rieko to sit out.Forwards- balance still not right. Front row ok but miss Codie. But still ok. Locks- you now need to start s a tall timber at middle of lineout- Darry is the right guy. Then move Sititi to 8, move Ardie to 7 and then move Vaai to blindside. He can become the closest to PSdT . Then have proper bench as this is not a demotion but key to dominating last 30 minutes- Patrick, Ofa etc are golden here. Get the balance right between starters and finishers
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