No pressure for Wallabies
The 48-year-old handler – who in one year has turned the Wallabies from a demoralised squad into one closing on the World Cup Final – said Australia's success in winning 18 of their 24 Test matches against the Pumas would not matter when the game starts.
"I don't think there's any pressure," said Cheika at his eve of match press conference.
"It's up to us to make the pressure during the game.
"It’s all about confronting the opponent on Sunday over 80 minutes.
"You don’t want to be stressed about that, you want to enjoy it.
"It’s going to be tough, it’s going to be hard and there’s going to be a lot of hurt.
"We’ve trained and we’re ready for that.
"The opponent’s going to have the same thing happening to them as well.
"So we want to enjoy it and when it gets tougher enjoy it even more and then you can sit in the dressing room after and be satisfied that you’ve done everything you can, and until then you can’t be satisfied."
Cheika, the only coach to have guided clubs to northern and southern hemisphere continental championships with Leinster and the Waratahs respectively, said a lot would come down to what resources the players bring to the game.
"It’s all about what you bring to that game," said Cheika.
"I don't think that past form or what’s happened in this tournament or anything is relevant except for the two teams and what they bring over 80 minutes tomorrow and what they show from the inside of their soul around how they want to play the game.
"And that's what I really believe it comes down to. We’re going to have an opportunity tomorrow when the whistle blows and I feel like we’re very ready for that and now it’s just a matter of getting it on."
Cheika, who has been vocal in his support of South African referee Craig Joubert after his erroneous last minute awarding of a penalty which saw the Wallabies beat Scotland 35-34 in the quarterfinals, said the Pumas would be a different prospect to the team that reached the 2007 semifinals.
"I'm close to some of the Argentinian players from 2007, albeit they played a different style of rugby," said Cheika.
"They are very strong and very passionate.
"I think they (Argentina) have just transformed the way they play a little bit.
"But they’ve always had a very steely approach to the game, their competitive spirit has always been very very high, and tournament play has always suited them because it give them the chance to get all their players together."
AFP
