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Report: Montpellier targetting ex-Wallabies coach Michael Cheika as number one option for head coaching role

16 Jan 2021

Michael Cheika congratulates the Pumas players (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is reportedly the number one target for Montpellier’s vacant head coaching position, according to French publication Midi Olympique.

After leaving his post as Wallabies coach that he held from 2014 to the end of the 2019 World Cup, Cheika hasn’t committed to any permanent coaching jobs, most recently helping Argentina’s Tri-Nations campaign in 2020 as an assistant to Mario Ledesma as well as consulting to NRL club Sydney Roosters.

The Australian has been long favoured by Montpellier owner Mohed Altrad, who reportedly has approached Cheika again about taking over the Montpellier head coaching role after the sacking of former French international Xavier Garbajosa last month.

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Midi Olympique describe Cheika as ‘the hottest candidate’ as he is fluent in French and is familiar with European competition having played and coached at Stade Francois, while reaching European glory at the helm of Leinster in 2009.

If an agreement is made, he would arrive in France in June however the former Wallabies coach has already agreed to coach Lebanon at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup, which would overlap with the Top 14 season.

Montpellier is desperate to turn around a troubling Top 14 season, where they sit second from bottom with just three wins from 12 games.

The former heavyweight of the league is not shy of handing out top dollar contracts, having committed million euro plus deals for Aaron Cruden and Handre Pollard in recent years, in addition to another expensive buyout of former Springbok flyhalf Johan Goosen’s contract from Toulon.

The club has been a hot spot for South African players, with Bismarck Du Plessis, Cobus Reinach, Jan Serfontein, Nico Janse van Rensberg joining Pollard and Goosen on the current roster.

The free-wheeling dealing for marquee international players hasn’t paid off in silverware, with the club’s second-place finish in the Top 14 in 2018 the closest they have come to a league title after losing to Castres in the final.

On the European front, the club won the Challenge Cup in 2016 but in recent seasons have been shocked in Champions Cup pool play, famously losing to English club Newcastle Falcons in the 2018/19 season, who were at the time the bottom club in the Premiership and were eventually relegated.

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Comments on RugbyPass

JW 13 minutes ago

New Zealanders may not understand, but in France Test rugby is the 'B movie'

But he was wrong, he had to take back what he said. But maybe this only happened because he came out and was honest with his initial plans?

He’s simply in a position where he should be far more professional.

I don’t really follow much media, especially SM, but again, I’ve not seen anyone complaining. Plenty of ridicule and pointing out things like it being disrespectful to the game, but as far as the English language goes, that’s not complaining. Nick Bishop for instance hasn’t been complaining, he’s simply saying Galthie made a bad decision for France’s prospects (which when the common reply is ‘thats how it is’).

Complaining would be views expressing that the FFR should have put the tour back a week so that all T14 finalists could attend. Complaining would be saying they’ve been robbed of seeing the worlds best stars. Complaining would be saying players can simply take extra weeks off from T14. I’ve only seen advice and suggestions that these are things France need to look-at-for-the-future.

Basically I tried to communicate with French fans because they don’t understand what’s being communicated. ALL reactions I have seen shared here by French supports have all seemed way over the top compared what I’ve seen expressed about this tour.

the players are expected to play in too many matches, for too many minutes, and need more rest and recovery time.

This is the message I have been sharing. So something needs to happen, whether thats France pull out of more Internationals or rest players from more domestic games, who knows, but I also don’t think what they have now is working. It’s obviously much better than 3-4 years ago, but they appear to want to work even harder at it like you say. Personally I’ve only seen LNR be reasonable, I hear much less of their other internationals being denied/influenced not to play, so I imagine that they will give even further (as I can’t really see France pulling out the other international windows as well).

146 Go to comments

Hammer Head 13 minutes ago

15-year All Blacks coach names two factors slowing Razor's roll

Yeah. You should worry about your own game and not anyone else’s. Play for the right reasons and to your own strengths. If you’re good enough, the rest will take care of itself.

1 Go to comments

jb 33 minutes ago

'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

Agree with nick fully …I think it’s very clear that the weakest point in our game has been the 12/13 mix. Poor in defence. The lions had charge blanch out wide- jas is lost at 13. …

And then the lack of grunt. But genge should have been penalised twice for dropping the arm…against Robertson …okeefe, who is the worst ref for au games, should have reported that. It was obvious to everyone else… we have to improve our defence strategy. That’s the key. And I don’t think TT is the answer. He is lazy and drops ball, gives away penalties and wins some scrums ..not all…that’s not a big scorecard.

38 Go to comments

JW 39 minutes ago

'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

What I found disturbing was that he made his call after (supposed going off the live feed) only one replay. Others you can see the only reason “both arrived at the ruck/tackle together” was because Morgan dived from 2 meters away.

I reckon Tate could still have held up the try on half time. 10 point lead could have been a way different game.

38 Go to comments

jb 42 minutes ago

'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

I can’t believe you suggest kurtley. He was no where in the Pasifika game - was he actually playing ?? and was never a great number 10 in high level rugby and is still a handbag tackler. His days are done.

38 Go to comments

JW 43 minutes ago

'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

Can you say in this example May was going to land on his feet ingoal, or his torso/ball? It’s unclear whether there is distinction there “in the act of scoring”?

38 Go to comments

JW 47 minutes ago

'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

Skelton looked pretty sore when going to sit down on the bench too I thought.

38 Go to comments

JW 49 minutes ago

'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

Yeah I hadn’t heard anything further than that straight after the game stuff. Cant be what SB is referring to though? I missed the CEO stuff.

38 Go to comments

JW 52 minutes ago

'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

Yeah agreed. In his defence though he’s only done it because of the disrespect Australia has been given, and he wants their fans to believe in them, I reckon. As otherwise, like you say, it’s very out of character (he just went off in the Brums game from out of nowhere lol) I think.

38 Go to comments

JW 54 minutes ago

'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

I think Beale has been in better for than JOC personally. I wonder if Joe will select from outside the squad (LSL, Tupou, Beale etc) for the 3rd.

Such a long season too for Lions can’t be ignored in re to their performance. Someone like Finn Russell has already played 2.5k minutes, and that data doesn’t include tour games (only tests).

38 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

“In principle, in a try scoring situation, if the action is deemed to be a dive forward for a try, then it should be permitted. If a player is deemed to have left the ground to avoid a tackle; or to jump, or hurdle a potential tackler, then this is dangerous play and should be sanctioned accordingly.”

The whole description can be found (I think it would have included everything, I’ve only seen this article) here https://www.rugbypass.com/news/what-world-rugby-say-about-dan-sheehans-controversial-lions-try/?ht-comment-id=26942117

Having read that again, I suppose this could be another case of incomplete laws, as couldn’t both be true? What then… I took it to mean the second sentence clarifies the first (ruling it out), but it might be directly relating to the specific situation it came out after (whatever that was).

38 Go to comments

Otagoman II 1 hour ago

'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

Hi Mzilikazi, I still think in the Sheehan scenario there is potential for some nasty neck injury to himself. I recall the Johnny May scenario was later considered foul play as he used a hirdling motion to score where his legs could easily be taken out underneath him and he would have no control over his descent. Diving with your head and arms leading is ironically safer. If that is correct recall.

38 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

Cameron Woki picked at the base of a ruck and jumped/dived over. That would clearly now be penalised.
But the Sheehan try is different to my eye. It starts from a tap penalty, he drives forward, the two WB defenders go low for a tackle in the assumption Sheehan will go to ground. He does not, but seeing the hole now left dives through it. In this case surely there is zero danger there.

World Rugby’s terminology/interpretation recently (shared again after this) is that it’s ok to hurdle/dive (that includes over, say a ruck, which we have seen this many times even in this years SR) to score a try, but it’s not (OK) to avoid a tackle. I can’t remember the one you describe (which may have been where their clarification came from) but that would sound OK. Sheehan definitely was playing the rope-a-dope and dived to avoid being tackled (can’t call it tackled really, just blocked/stopped lol), so shouldn’t have been awarded (I wasn’t aware of this last definition so just thought it was a very smart move). Was it premeditated? I’m not sure, but he could definitely have collected someones head if that was the case. And I guess even if he saw the space, I guess it’s not something they can allow as others might try it and get it terribly wrong?

Well summed up Miz. I have been thinking the whole situation of events that lead to this type of sneaky move is the problem, particularly as it relates to the difficulty and effort defenders now go to stop such situations (like say Slippers try), where players go extremely low to drive from meters out (and in most cases plays just trying to dive under). It’s also ugly business seeing attempt after attempt to go in under the tacklers, especially with them not really being able to perform a ‘tackle’ at all. I would simply give the defenders their goal line. All they need is some part of the body on or behind, and this will stop the play (being the fuel to this fire) from being attempted I reckon.

38 Go to comments

RK 1 hour ago

Hugo Keenan: From high school 'D' team to British and Irish Lions immortality

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23 Go to comments

Derek Murray 1 hour ago

Lessons the Wallabies must heed to turn Lions heartbreak into future success

It’s hard to see how we are benefiting from Fisher’s passive defensive. The Lions ran their backline plays with all the time they needed and we soaked and conceded 5 tries.

Gotta be more aggressive - we’re the last top side to do so and it’s failing us

27 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

Yes agreed, TT wouldn’t have been ready last week, as he’d not been in the environment (which would be the more pertinent thing, but sensible based on form and fitness). Might be the right time to pick him this week?

38 Go to comments

Neilashford 1 hour ago

'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

Multiple things can all be true at the same time. The Wallabies made a lot of mistakes, they had way too passive defence, they didn't get selection (match day and full squad) correct, AND the referees made the wrong call for the final penalty which factually cost them the match.

We talk a lot about rugby being a professional sport and what that means (club vs country, private equity, ‘rugby ethos’, workloads). Well referees and their decisions should be a piece of that. There is way too much money and consequences on the line for major calls like that to be completely inconsistent game to game. Fans spend money for tickets, sponsors and broadcasters spend a ton to show the games, gamblers spend money on the outcome. It's not right for the referees to ignore the rules because it was “a rugby incident".

The Wallabies also made a lot of mistakes. Rewatching the two tries at the end of the first half, they were just way too passive and allowed the Lions into the 22 far too easily.

38 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

Why wasn’t Kerevi in? Heard more that he wasn’t viable these days, was that from people following JRLO I wonder. Would have been a nice end to his career but Joe’s also going to look further into the future than that no?

38 Go to comments

Derek Murray 1 hour ago

'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

Been saying for months we wanted Tupou, Skelton, LSL, Kerevi and, of course, Bobby V.

Probably worth noting that selecting Gordon at 9 was a good call and being brave enough to toss in a 20yo Jorgo after a long injury lay-off was also a difficult but correct selection.

38 Go to comments

Brett McKay 1 hour ago

Lessons the Wallabies must heed to turn Lions heartbreak into future success

Yes, that’s a pretty healthy motivating factor, PS

27 Go to comments

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