Challenges in the Life of Michael Cheika in a Detailed Timeline

A closer look at the defining struggles that shaped Michael Cheika's life and career.

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

1958: Worst Win-Loss Record Since 1958

In 1958, Australia had their worst win-loss record before repeating this result in 2018.

1979: First Loss to Ireland at Home

In 1979, Australia suffered their first loss to Ireland at home before losing again in 2018.

1983: Loss to Argentina

In 1983, Argentina beat Australia on home soil for the first time before winning again in 2018.

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.

2008: Wales' Win Over Australia

In 2008, Wales beat Australia before winning again in 2018.

2009: Defeat in Edinburgh

Australia suffered a record defeat at the hands of Scotland in Edinburgh for the first time since 2009.

2012: Loss to Scotland

In 2012, Australia lost to Scotland 9-6, the last time Scotland had beaten Australia before 2017.

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.

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.

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: 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: 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 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.

October 2024: Ban from the Rugby Football Union

On October 2, 2024, he was given a two-week ban, with one week suspended, by the Rugby Football Union after being found guilty of "disrespecting" a match-day doctor during his first game in charge of Leicester.