Cheika to divide and conquer
Wallabies and Waratahs coach Michael Cheika says that the only way he can manage to do both jobs is by keeping them completely separate.
The Super Rugby-winning Waratahs coach will continue in his role with the Sydney side, despite being named as Ewen Mckenzie's successor just before the year-end tour.
Taking on such a workload in a World Cup year will be incredibly demanding on Cheika, who told Foxsports that the key will be to maintain strict discipline.
“I’ve got to make sure I’m extremely disciplined. When I’m at Waratahs, physically here, I’m not doing anything to do with the Wallabies. And when I’m away from here I’m able to do things with the Wallabies.
“I will have a physical divide, because if you cross those things over you’ll only get muddled.
“So even if I’m going to make a phone call about the Wallabies, I will walk out the building to do so.”
Cheika's assistant Daryl Gibson will be taking on more responsibility at the Waratahs, with the head coach's full backing.
“For me, 100 per cent. He is ready to do it now.
“He has developed the things in his coaching that he needs to go on and be a head coach.
“He wants to continue the things we’ve been doing for three years after this season is over.
“I would be supporting him 100 per cent,” he said.
Cheika declared that his side is not interested in “defending” their title.
“There is not a lot different in our approach, we’re going at attack this season,” Cheika said. “We’re not going to defend anything.
“The title was won last season and that’s finished. In 2015, everyone starts at zero and we’re going to go again.
“We’re changing a bit in attack, trying to improve our contact level, skill and physicality, because I think we made some good advances in that last year but we’ve still got a long way to go,” he added.
