Former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is poised to coach at a third straight Rugby World Cup, with the Australian set to be unveiled as Argentina boss by the end of the week.
Argentine newspaper, La Nacion, was first to report news of Cheika’s looming appointment, with the current Stan Sport panelist set to take over from Mario Ledesma, whom the Australian worked alongside in a consultancy role for the 2020 Tri Nations and 2021 Rugby Championship.
Sources have told ESPN that Union de Argentina president Marcelo Rodriguez will likely unveil Cheika as the Pumas’ new coach from the northern hemisphere by video link later this week. Rodriguez is currently travelling to London to attend the World Rugby executive meetings.
It sets up the mouth-watering prospect where Cheika could potentially coach directly against the Wallabies in the quarterfinals of next year’s World Cup. With the Wallabies placed in Pool C and the Pumas in Pool D, they would be drawn to face each other if one nation was to top its group and the other was to finish second in theirs.
But more immediately is the reality that the appointment would put Cheika in charge for back-to-back Tests against the Wallabies in August, both of which will be played on Argentina soil during the Rugby Championship.
With the tournament reverting to a “mini tours” format, the Wallabies are set to open their campaign with two tough games on the road in South America, while Cheika’s presence as coach of the Pumas would add extra spice.
Cheika took the Wallabies to the final of the 2015 World Cup, before losing to New Zealand at Twickenham. But the Australian struggled for results thereafter, losing home series to England and Ireland, with only limited Rugby Championship success wedged in between.
His reign eventually came to an end when the Wallabies were thumped 40-17 by England in the quarterfinals of the 2019 tournament, with Cheika opting to stand down the following day before Rugby Australia bosses had the opportunity to sack him.
In standing down, Cheika revealed he had next to no working relationship with then RA chief executive Raelene Castle, nor then-chairman Cameron Clyne. He also found it tough working under Scott Johnson, who had been appointed director of rugby at the end of 2018 to try and arrest the Wallabies’ slide.
Cheika’s final year in charge of the Wallabies was plagued by off-field controversy created by the Israel Folau saga, which later resulted in a divided playing group after the code-hopper was sacked following multiple anti-gay social media posts.
But Ledesma had no hesitation in bringing the Australian onto the Pumas staff for the truncated 2020 Tri Nations series, with Cheika later credited for much of the improvement that saw Argentina pull off an historic first win over the All Blacks.
The Pumas also managed two draws against the Wallabies on Australian soil in 2020, but failed to win a game during last year’s Rugby Championship as the realities of extended stints away from home hit the Argentine playing group.