You would have had some odds on the Sydney Opera House being lit up in green and yellow on World Cup final night when Michael Cheika assumed command of the mess that the Wallabies were in a year ago.
But such has been the transformation he has helped to bring about that the Australian public have rediscovered their pride in their national rugby union team.
Not that these are distractions Cheika necessarily wants in the build-up to tomorrow’s World Cup final and even though restoring pride has been a key plank of his mission statement, nor does he want anyone basking in the renewed acclaim just yet.
“Obviously in the background for us that’s an important thing. I think after the tournament we’ll take a chance to see what’s happened. We’ve stayed relatively clear of that.
“The amount of people who are supporting us is very obvious. We’ve got a lot of messages from a lot of people about how proud they are and everything like that.
Too comfortable
“And I’ll be honest, a lot of it we almost don’t want to let in. We don’t want to be proud just to make the final. That’s too comfortable, it’s too easy. We want to be proud of what we do on Saturday. And make Australians even more proud of us by giving everything we’ve got on Saturday.
“Not that you can ever tell what’s going to happen but making sure we play in a way that they wake up in the middle of the night, or if they’re over here, that they can nod their heads and say: ‘I’m proud to be a part of that’.”
The biggest game the sport has known in four years perhaps merited a Saturday evening slot rather than a late afternoon one, but that’s another matter. By extension, it also means the match will kick off at 3am in Sydney and 5am in Auckland.
In any event, Cheika has restored the fit-again Scott Sio to their frontrow in an otherwise unchanged side, after the influential loosehead dislocated his elbow in the quarter-finals against Scotland. His wellbeing is imperative judging by how the revitalised Wallabies scrum was dismembered by the Pumas in Sio's absence.
To the notion that in reaching the final, Cheika’s Wallabies are ahead of schedule the Australian head coach said: “I don’t know if there’s a schedule per se.
“I never really said ‘by this date, everything it going to be fine and dandy,’ because one of the great things about rugby and why people love it so much – most sports I suppose – is the humility involved in something we really believe in. You might play great one week, but if you’re not ready the next time then you’ll get smashed.”
Back in Oz, Bob "rent-a-quote" Dwyer has again probably not done these Wallabies any favours by apparently claiming they have the best defence ever, a curious one given Dwyer's 1999 World Cup winners only conceded one try (to the USA in Thomond Park), and both Wales (three) and the All Blacks (four) have conceded less tries at this World Cup than Australia (five).
“Bob’s done it all, he’s very well respected in Australia and he’s a friend of ours as well,” said Cheika, stopping short of adding “thanks Bob”, before adding: “So I’m not into the big sweeping statements, you know, I’m a big believer that your next game is the one that proves who you are.
“The minute you start relying on clichés or tags or titles you’ll get pinched. It’s happened too many times.”
The phrase
A certain Australian pundit from this parish would be well happy with the Wallabies consistently referring to their opponents in the final, in public, as
New Zealand
and not the All Blacks. When he was asked if they had used the phrase “All Blacks” in their camp this week, which clearly they haven’t, Cheika even played this down adroitly.
He laughed and said: “I’ve read a bit about that where they’re having a bit of a crack at me thinking that I don’t say that, for certain reasons. But if you notice, it’s pretty funny, I never call Australia ‘the Wallabies’ either.
“I’m really a bit old-fashioned that way. I think Australia is Australia, New Zealand is New Zealand, France is France, and it’s a battle between nations on that stage. That’s why. There’s no secret squirrel, you know what I mean?
So, could he use those two unmentionable words?
Laughing now, he said: “Can I say All Blacks now for ya? Ah no,” he continued, first clearing his throat, and then grabbing as he leant back in his chair.
“Poltergeist!” he declared, laughing again.
“No mate, maybe everyone’s got a little bit too much time on their hands, because that’s sort of making something out of nothing that one.”
