Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Michael Cheika

How Michael Cheika built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Michael Cheika is an Australian professional rugby union and rugby league coach, and former rugby union player. He is known for his passionate and demanding coaching style. He has coached at various levels, including club teams like Leinster and Stade Francais, leading Leinster to a Heineken Cup victory. Cheika coached the Australian national rugby union team (the Wallabies) from 2014 to 2019, guiding them to the final of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. In 2022, he took over as the coach of the Argentina national rugby team, showcasing his international coaching experience.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1989: Moved to Europe and Played for Castres Olympique

In 1989, Michael Cheika moved to Europe, spending two seasons with Castres Olympique in Division 1 of the South of France.

1992: Joined Rugby Livorno

In 1992, Michael Cheika joined Italian side Rugby Livorno alongside his Randwick teammate David Knox.

1993: Represented Italian Selection XV

In 1993, Michael Cheika represented an Italian Selection XV against the All Blacks.

1994: Continued Playing for Rugby Livorno

In 1994, Michael Cheika continued playing for Rugby Livorno, having joined the Italian side in 1992.

1996: Fourth Title Since 1996

In 2015, the Wallabies won their first ever Rugby Championship title, although including the former Tri-Nations format it was the Wallabies' fourth title since the competition began in 1996.

1997: Captained Randwick and Represented New South Wales

In 1997, Michael Cheika captained Randwick and represented New South Wales on their spring tour of the UK.

1999: Began Coaching Career in Italy

In 1999, Michael Cheika began his coaching career in Italy after David Campese brought his attention to a coaching job. Cheika and Knox coached Petrarca Padova, but the Heineken Cup campaign did not yield any wins.

1999: Captained Randwick

In 1999, Michael Cheika continued his captaincy of Randwick.

2004: Guided Randwick to Shute Shield Victory

In 2004, Michael Cheika guided his old club, Randwick, to a Shute Shield victory, leveraging his European coaching experience.

2005: Became Head Coach at Leinster

In 2005, Michael Cheika replaced Declan Kidney as head coach at Leinster, bringing his former teammate David Knox as an assistant coach. This move was described as a calculated punt by Leinster's chief executive, Mick Dawson, due to the contentious circumstances surrounding Kidney's departure.

2005: Worst Record Since 2005

In the end of year tour, Australia lost three out of four test matches, their worst record since 2005. Cheika made it clear that the scrum needed to be fixed before the World Cup, and later sacked the forwards coach Andrew Blades.

2009: Led Leinster to Heineken Cup Victory

In 2009, Michael Cheika led Leinster to European success, guiding the team to the 2009 Heineken Cup Final where they secured a 19–16 victory over Leicester Tigers, clinching Leinster's first-ever European title.

2009: Won Heineken Cup with Leinster

In 2009, Michael Cheika won the Heineken Cup with Leinster, marking a significant achievement in his coaching career.

2009: Led Leinster to Top of Celtic League

In his final season in charge, during 2009-10, Michael Cheika led Leinster to the top of the table in the revamped Celtic League. However, they lost in the semi-final to the Ospreys.

2010: Stade Français Finished 11th

During the 2010–11 Top 14 season, Stade Français finished 11th in the standings with only 10 wins from 26. In the 2010–11 European Challenge Cup, Stade Français clinched top seed after the pool stage, winning all six of their matches. Cheika's team beat Clermont, who had dropped down from the Heineken Cup, by 29–25 in the semifinal, but narrowly lost to Harlequins 19–18 in the final at Cardiff.

2010: Started Two Specialized Opensides

During the All Blacks match in 2015, Cheika started two specialized opensides for the first time since 2010. They were both influential in the Wallabies win.

2010: Became Director of Rugby at Stade Français

In 2010, Michael Cheika became the Director of Rugby for the Paris-based club, Stade Français.

2011: Stade Français Improved Standing

In the 2011–12 Top 14 season, Stade Français improved on their previous standing, finishing seventh with 11 wins. The team again clinched the top seeding in the European Challenge Cup but lost in the semifinal by 32–29 to Toulon.

2012: Appointed Head Coach of Waratahs

In 2012, Michael Cheika was appointed as head coach of the New South Wales Waratahs for the 2013 Super Rugby season.

2012: Sacked from Stade Français

In 2012, Michael Cheika was sacked from his position as Director of Rugby at Stade Français due to off-field conflicts and mediocre on-field results.

2013: Guided Waratahs to 9th Place

In 2013, his first season as head coach, Michael Cheika guided the New South Wales Waratahs to 9th place in the Super Rugby season. He was also responsible for signing Israel Folau from AFL side Greater Western Sydney Giants.

June 2014: Australia's Dominant Series Win

In June 2014, under the former coach Ewen McKenzie, Australia had a dominant 3-0 series win over France (Les Bleus).

October 2014: Appointed Head Coach of Australia National Team

On October 22, 2014, Michael Cheika was appointed as the head coach of the Australia national rugby team with a three-year contract through the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

2014: Coached Australia and Won Super Rugby Title

In 2014, Michael Cheika began his tenure as the coach of the Australian national rugby union team. Also in 2014, he achieved success with the New South Wales Waratahs, winning the Super Rugby title, making him the only coach to win major club competitions in both hemispheres.

2014: Secured Key Signings for Waratahs

In 2014, Michael Cheika secured key signings for the Waratahs, including Kurtley Beale, Nick Phipps, Jacques Potgieter, and Taqele Naiyaravoro.

2014: First Match as Australia Coach

In 2014, Michael Cheika's first match as coach of Australia was a non-capped game against the Barbarians, which Australia won 40–36. His first test match was a 33–28 victory against Wales.

2015: Victory over the All Blacks

Ahead of the Wallabies' Spring tour, Cheika led Australia to a 23–18 victory over the All Blacks in the third Bledisloe Cup of 2015. It was the first time since 2015 that the Wallabies had defeated the world champions.

2015: Won Rugby Championship

During the 2015 Rugby Championship, Michael Cheika led the Wallabies to their first-ever Rugby Championship title by winning against New Zealand, for the first time since 2010.

2015: Waratahs' Super Rugby Season

During the 2015 Super Rugby season, the Waratahs, under Cheika, faced challenges, including losses to the Western Force and suspensions of players. They were defeated in the semifinal by the Highlanders.

2015: Coached Wallabies Through World Cup

In 2015, Michael Cheika coached the Wallabies through the Rugby World Cup as part of his three-year contract.

2015: Led Australia to Rugby World Cup Final

In 2015, Michael Cheika led Australia to the Rugby World Cup final, where they lost to New Zealand 34-17. On November 1, 2015, he was named World Rugby Coach of the Year.

2015: World Rugby Coach of the Year

In 2015, Michael Cheika received the World Rugby Coach of the Year award after leading Australia to the 2015 Rugby World Cup final.

2015: Giteau's Law

In the lead up to the 2015 World Cup, Cheika is credited for inventing Giteau's law which enabled overseas based players to play for Australia.

2016: England Whitewashed Australia

In 2016, England toured Australia for a three-test series, resulting in Australia being "whitewashed" for the first time in a home series since 1971.

2016: Cheika led Australia to second in the 2016 Rugby Championship

In 2016, Michael Cheika led Australia to second place in the Rugby Championship, overcoming an initial aggregate score deficit of 71–17 against New Zealand in the first two matches. The Wallabies secured their first win of the season against South Africa, winning 23–17, and then defeated Argentina 36–20. Despite narrowly missing a victory against South Africa in Pretoria, they triumphed over Argentina in London. In the final Bledisloe Cup on October 22, Australia were defeated 37–10. The 2016 Spring tour included a convincing win against Wales 32–8, a narrow victory over Scotland 23–22, and a win against France 25–23, but also losses to Ireland 27–24 and England 37–21.

2017: Australia's 2017 Season

In 2017, Australia started the season with a 37–14 victory over Fiji, with Cheika giving four players their international debut. The team then lost to Scotland 24–19, marking the first time Australia had lost to Scotland twice in a row at home. They secured a 40–27 victory over Italy. During the 2017 Rugby Championship, Cheika faced criticism for frequently changing match day teams. The Championship included a 54–34 loss to New Zealand, a narrow 35–29 loss in the return fixture, and two draws against South Africa (23–23 and 27–27). Australia concluded the season with a 37–20 victory against Argentina.

2018: Dismal Run in Autumn Internationals and Review of Performance

Cheika's team had a dismal run in the 2018 autumn internationals, losing to Wales 9–6 (their first win over Australia since 2008) and salvaging a victory against Italy 26–7. They ended the year with a sixth consecutive defeat to England, losing 37–18. The team's record of four wins out of thirteen test matches was their worst since 1958. A review of the team's performance was conducted by Rugby Australia, which decided to back Cheika through to the 2019 World Cup.

2018: Criticism and Poor Results during the 2018 Rugby Championship

During the 2018 Rugby Championship, Cheika faced severe criticism due to the team's poor form and results. The team won only two games, leading to questions about his job in the Australian media. Key events included a loss to New Zealand (38–13), a victory over South Africa (23–18) to retain the Mandela Challenge Plate, a loss to Argentina (23–19), which was the first time since 1983 that Argentina beat Australia on home soil and losses to South Africa (23-12).

2018: Series Defeat Against Ireland

In 2018, Cheika led the Wallabies to a series defeat against Ireland, losing 2–1 despite winning the first test 18–9. A first loss to Ireland at home since 1979 in the second test (26–21) followed by a close encounter in the third test (16–20), meant Ireland claimed a first ever series win over Australia. It was also a first for Cheika in the second test, naming an unchanged matchday 23 for two consecutive tests, retaining the same team from the first test.

2019: Backed through to the 2019 World Cup

After review of the team's performance in 2018, Rugby Australia backed Cheika through to the 2019 World Cup.

2019: Resignation as Head Coach

At the 2019 Rugby World Cup, Australia won three of their four pool matches but lost to Wales, leading to a quarter-final fixture with England. A 40–16 defeat by England ended the Australian campaign, and Cheika announced his resignation as head coach by the end of 2019.

2019: End of Australia Coaching Tenure

In 2019, Michael Cheika's tenure as the coach of the Australia rugby union team came to an end.

2019: Changes in the Australian Set-Up

In 2019, Stephen Larkham was sacked as attack coach, and a selection panel was introduced, consisting of Cheika, Scott Johnson, and Michael O'Connor. The team experienced a 35–17 loss to South Africa but later defeated Argentina 16–10 and New Zealand 47–26. Despite this, they lost 36–0 in the second Bledisloe Cup match, preventing them from reclaiming the cup for the first time since 2002.

September 2020: Joins Argentine Rugby Union

In September 2020, the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) announced that Cheika had joined the Pumas prior to the 2020 Tri Nations Series, taking up an advisory role and re-joining former Wallabies assistant coach, Mario Ledesma.

November 2020: Appointed Head Coach of Lebanon

In November 2020, Michael Cheika was appointed as the head coach of Lebanon, the country of his parents' birth, ahead of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. He retained this position even when appointed as Argentina's rugby union coach.

May 2021: Appointed Director of Rugby of Green Rockets

In May 2021, Michael Cheika was appointed as the director of rugby for the Japanese rugby union team, Green Rockets.

2021: Coached Lebanon in Rugby League World Cup

In 2021, Michael Cheika coached Lebanon in the Rugby League World Cup.

2021: Ahead of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup

In November 2020, Michael Cheika was appointed as the head coach of Lebanon, the country of his parents' birth, ahead of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.

March 2022: Confirmed as Coach for Argentina

In March 2022, Michael Cheika's appointment as the coach of the Argentina national rugby union team was confirmed, holding the position from 2022 until the 2023 Rugby World Cup, after which assistant coach Felipe Contepomi would take over.

September 2022: Argentina Suffers Heavy Defeat to New Zealand

In September 2022, Argentina suffered their heaviest defeat to New Zealand since 1997, losing 53–3. The loss put Argentina last on the Rugby Championship table. Despite the heavy defeat, Argentina went up one ranking (7th to 6th), due to Australia losing at home to South Africa.

November 2022: Coaching two national teams

In November 2022, the 2021 Rugby League World Cup was postponed to October and November 2022, coinciding with Argentina's tour of Great Britain. Despite reports of the difficulty of coaching two national teams simultaneously, Michael Cheika maintained both positions.

2022: Argentina plays Australia in the 2022 Rugby Championship

In 2022, Argentina played Australia at home in the first two tests of the Rugby Championship. In round one, Argentina lost 26–41. In round two, Argentina defeated Australia with their biggest victory (48–17; thirty-one points).

2022: Appointed Argentina National Team Coach

In 2022, Michael Cheika was appointed as the coach of the Argentina national rugby team.

2023: Contepomi to take over

Felipe Contepomi would take over as head coach after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

2023: Coached Argentina at the Rugby World Cup

In 2023, Michael Cheika coached the Argentina national team at the Rugby World Cup.

2023: Cheika leaves the Green Rockets

In early 2023, Michael Cheika departed from his role with the Green Rockets.

June 2024: Tigers Appoint Cheika as Head Coach

On June 27, 2024, Tigers appointed Cheika as their new head coach.

January 2025: Cheika to leave Leicester at the end of the 2024-25 season

In January 2025, it was confirmed that he would be stepping down as head coach following the conclusion of his contract at the end of the season. In January 2025 Cheika confirmed he would be leaving Leicester at the end of the 2024-25 Premiership Rugby season. Under Cheika Tigers form improved and he led the side to the 2025 Premiership Rugby final, where they lost 23-21 to Bath.

April 2025: Resuming role as head coach of Lebanon

On 4 April 2025, it was reported that Michael Cheika would resume his role as head coach of Lebanon in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.

September 2025: Joining Sydney Roosters coaching staff

On 15 September 2025, it was reported that Michael Cheika had joined the coaching staff of Sydney Roosters as assistant coach, following Justin Holbrook's departure to Newcastle Knights.