Australian Story: Oct 10

Monday’s Australian Story profiles former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika.

This episode is introduced by senior ABC sport reporter Tracey Holmes.

“Michael’s a fighter. And, you know, fans they either love him or hate him.” Eddie Jones, former teammate and England rugby coach.

When Michael Cheika quit as Wallabies coach following the team’s poor performance at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, many Australian fans were happy to see the back of him. But three years on, he’s never been in greater demand.

As head coach of Argentina’s national rugby side, Cheika recently clocked up wins against Australia and New Zealand but it’s his other national coaching job that is raising eyebrows. This week, he takes lowly ranked Lebanon to the Rugby League World Cup in Britain.

Michael Cheika has always confounded expectations. This is, after all, the fearsome player who speaks five languages and made his fortune in the fashion industry before becoming a professional coach.

“It’s new for me,” Cheika says. “I’m coaching in a different code completely to what I’m used to. It’s a passion project for me, obviously.”

In a revealing Australian Story, Michael Cheika looks back over an eventful life and often controversial career. He addresses the criticism that was levelled at him in the wake of the 2019 World Cup and explains why he switched codes to honour his Lebanese heritage and why he still feels like an outsider.

Helping to shed light on one of Australian sport’s more enigmatic characters are wife Stephanie and brother Paul as well as England coach and former teammate Eddie Jones, fashion designer Collette Dinnigan, former Wallaby David Pocock and sports journalists Georgina Robinson and Tracey Holmes.

Producer: Greg Hassall.

8pm Monday on ABC.