Michael Cheika
Encyclopedia
Michael Cheika is a former Australian rugby union player and is a Heineken Cup winning coach and entrepreneur. He is the head coach of Stade Français since his appointment in 2010. He is of Lebanese origin
and C.A.S.G. Paris in the French league and Italian side Rugby Livorno
where he played alongside David Knox.
brought a coaching job to his attention in Italy he applied and was successful. Cheika and Knox coached Padova through a Heineken Cup
campaign but did not yield any wins.
as head coach at Leinster in May 2005. Mick Dawson, Leinster's Chief Executive described it as a calculated punt
Kidney had left in contentious circumstances having agreed a move to rivals Munster before the season's end and Leinster were said to be in disarray. Cheika brought assistant David Knox with him to Ireland.
Cheika's first season culminated in a Heineken Cup Semi – Final against Munster, which Munster won on their way to lifting the trophy.
Cheika's second season in charge was a difficult one as Leinster were knocked out of the Heineken Cup at the Quarter Final Stage by London Wasps
The 07/08 season saw more European disappointment when Leinster failed to get out of their qualifying pool, but Leinster did secure the Celtic League
trophy with a bonus point win against Newport Gwent Dragons
. It was Cheika's first trophy as Leinster coach and Leinster's first since 2001's Celtic League
Knox was coach until he left for a return to Sydney in 2008. On leaving Knox blasted Irish rugby and Cheika responded that Knox was a bitter man
Leinster added Alan Gaffney in for the 2009 season as backs coach to add to Kurt McQuilkin as defence coach and forwards coach Jono Gibbes
.
Leinster lost their Magner's Celtic League
crown to Munster in 2009 but European success was achieved in Leinster's first Heineken Cup
final, which they won 19–16, becoming the club champions of Europe.
He left his post with Leinster Rugby at the end of the 2009–2010 season to become head coach for French Top 14 side Stade Français.
Other Clubs
Cheika played for New South Wales, Castres OlympiqueCastres Olympique
Castres Olympique is a French rugby union club located in the Midi-Pyrénées city of Castres and currently competing in the top level of the French league system.Founded in 1898, the club took its current name in 1906...
and C.A.S.G. Paris in the French league and Italian side Rugby Livorno
Rugby Livorno
Rugby Livorno is a Italian rugby union team, from Livorno. It was founded in 1931 and plays at the Carlo Fontana Stadium.Rugby Livorno best placement in the Italian Premiership was 6th place in 1989/90. They stayed however 17 years in the first scalon. They are at the Serie A, the second division...
where he played alongside David Knox.
Padova
Cheika had never coached before but when David CampeseDavid Campese
David Ian Campese , also known as Campo, is a former Australian rugby union player. Campese was capped by the Wallabies 101 times, and held the world record for the most tries in test matches until Daisuke Ohata scored his 65th try playing for Japan on 14 May 2006...
brought a coaching job to his attention in Italy he applied and was successful. Cheika and Knox coached Padova through a Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
campaign but did not yield any wins.
Randwick
Cheika returned to Randwick in 2001 when his father fell ill. With European coaching experience under his belt he secured the Randwick coaching ticket and coached them to Premier League success in 03/04Leinster
Cheika replaced Declan KidneyDeclan Kidney
Declan Kidney is an Irish rugby union coach.-Early life:Kidney played rugby for UCC and later for Dolphin RFC....
as head coach at Leinster in May 2005. Mick Dawson, Leinster's Chief Executive described it as a calculated punt
Kidney had left in contentious circumstances having agreed a move to rivals Munster before the season's end and Leinster were said to be in disarray. Cheika brought assistant David Knox with him to Ireland.
Cheika's first season culminated in a Heineken Cup Semi – Final against Munster, which Munster won on their way to lifting the trophy.
Cheika's second season in charge was a difficult one as Leinster were knocked out of the Heineken Cup at the Quarter Final Stage by London Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
The 07/08 season saw more European disappointment when Leinster failed to get out of their qualifying pool, but Leinster did secure the Celtic League
Celtic League (rugby union)
The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
trophy with a bonus point win against Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons are one of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales. They are jointly owned by Newport RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union and play all their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the Heineken Cup...
. It was Cheika's first trophy as Leinster coach and Leinster's first since 2001's Celtic League
Knox was coach until he left for a return to Sydney in 2008. On leaving Knox blasted Irish rugby and Cheika responded that Knox was a bitter man
Leinster added Alan Gaffney in for the 2009 season as backs coach to add to Kurt McQuilkin as defence coach and forwards coach Jono Gibbes
Jono Gibbes
Jonathan Brian Gibbes is the forwards coach of Leinster Rugby in Ireland and former New Zealand rugby union player who captained Waikato, the Chiefs and the New Zealand Māori rugby union team, and appeared in various All Blacks teams.Gibbes traditionally plays at the position of Blindside Flanker,...
.
Leinster lost their Magner's Celtic League
Celtic League (rugby union)
The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
crown to Munster in 2009 but European success was achieved in Leinster's first Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
final, which they won 19–16, becoming the club champions of Europe.
He left his post with Leinster Rugby at the end of the 2009–2010 season to become head coach for French Top 14 side Stade Français.