Rugby League World Cup: Michael Cheika on dual-code coaching roles
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Michael Cheika led Argentina to a historic first win over the All Blacks in New Zealand earlier this year
How do you balance coaching two different national teams in two different sports? Ask Michael Cheika.
More familiar to rugby union followers as the former Australia coach now in charge of Argentina, the 55-year-old is also leading Lebanon in the Rugby League World Cup.
The son of parents who emigrated from Lebanon to Australia before he was born, he speaks with immense pride about his Lebanese heritage.
There is the potential for a fixture dilemma should Lebanon reach the last eight; their quarter-final would be played on either 4 or 5 November, while Argentina are set to face England in the first of their autumn internationals at Twickenham on 6 November.
However, Cheika is not focusing too far beyond Lebanon's first group game against New Zealand, the world's number one-ranked team, in Warrington on Sunday.
"At this stage, you just prioritise by day," said Cheika, who led Australia to the 2015 World Cup final in rugby union. "Whichever game is first goes first, and then we'll work the rest out from there.
"I'll be honest, I haven't looked to see the dates.
"One thing I've learned about World Cups is that you should not look forward, you should only look right in front of you. If you start thinking about what's going to happen down the road, you'll get caught out.
"We've got to make sure we stay really clear and make good decisions about what is going to be important for tomorrow. Don't think about what could happen down the road, because it can get away from you very quickly."
'Trying to get the best out of people is the same'
While Argentina are among the world's best in rugby union and defeated the All Blacks on New Zealand soil for the first time in August, the range of abilities within the Lebanon squad is much broader.
Mitchell Moses, fresh from an NRL Grand Final appearance with Parramatta Eels, captains a squad which contains players from the NRL and Super League, the lower grades in Australia and the Lebanese domestic competition.
"You've got to approach that a little bit differently in the way that you bring the team together as far as training is concerned," Cheika continued.
"But trying to get the best out of people is the same. It doesn't matter which game they're playing or which country they're from."
Cheika is a big rugby league fan but his experience of coaching in the professional game is limited; he had a spell as an assistant at Sydney Roosters after leaving the Australia rugby union job at the end of the 2019 World Cup.
However, he has surrounded himself with plenty of rugby league knowhow, with ex-Warrington centre Matt King and former Roosters pair Robbie Farah and Jake Friend among those offering their input.
"There are some technical nuances but I've got my area that I'm looking after. I understand I need some help although the experience I've had with the Roosters has helped me a lot, and I've got expertise in my support team," Cheika said.
"We've got a really good base of knowledge from some coaches who have played at the very top end of the game.
"I've got to admit that I've enjoyed it immensely so far and now the games are coming, I feel a bit like a kid on the first day of school."
Ireland and World Cup debutants Jamaica are the other two teams alongside New Zealand and Lebanon, ranked 13th in the world, in Group C.
Who to watch in the Lebanon team
Lebanon lost 29-10 to England in the group stage of the 2017 World Cup but went on to reach the quarter-finals for the first time
Moses, who like his coach was born in Sydney, was part of the Lebanon squad which reached the quarter-finals in 2017.
The Cedars put in a creditable showing against England in a group-stage defeat, and then lost by just two points to Tonga in the last eight.
The 28-year-old could be partnered at half-back by another NRL player, the versatile Adam Doueihi of Wests Tigers, who impressed aged just 19 at the 2017 tournament. He is a cousin of coach Cheika.
The experience of Josh Mansour, a World Cup winner with Australia on home soil five years ago, could be invaluable and Super League fans will be familiar with another of their wingers, Wigan's Abbas Miski.
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