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Cheika named new Wallabies coach

───   08:59 Wed, 22 Oct 2014

Cheika named new Wallabies coach | News Article

The Australian Rugby Union has appointed Michael Cheika as the new Wallabies coach, just days after Ewen McKenzie walked out on the team.

McKenzie quit as national mentor following the Wallabies last minute 29-28 loss to the All Blacks in Brisbane on Saturday.
 
Cheika, who guided the Waratahs to the 2014 Super Rugby title, will take charge of the Wallabies for their upcoming end-of-year-tour with the squad departing Australia on Friday.
 
Speaking at his unveiling, Cheika said he sees coaching as a passion and not as a job.
 
"I never got to play for the Wallabies so to have the opportunity to coach the Australian team and have that responsibility of that on behalf of the Australian rugby supporters is touching for me," he said. 
 
"At the end of the day it's the opportunity to coach your country," he added.
 
"When that opportunity calls it's the one that says I'm going to come and see if I can help," he concluded.
 
Kurtley Beale, who will face an ARU code of conduct tribunal on Friday, was not included in the 33-man squad.
 
He highlighted that he would not be making comment on Beale's future in rugby union ahead of Friday's hearing.
 
"I won't be answering any questions on that today ... I don't want to prejudice anything that's going to happen with Kurtley," he said.
 
He added that one of his main goals is to make Australian supporters proud of the Wallabies again.
 
The Wallabies depart for the home nations and France on Friday and will face the Barbarians next Saturday, before tackling France, Ireland and England on tour.
 
Wallabies squad - Adam Ashley-Cooper, Ben Alexander, Sam Carter, Quade Cooper, Tom English, Saia Fainga'a, Tetera Faulkner, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Kyle Godwin, James Hanson, Scott Higginbotham, Matt Hodgson, Michael Hooper (c), Rob Horne, James Horwill, Luke Jones, Sekope Kepu, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Leali'ifano, Josh Mann-Rea, Ben McCalman, Sean McMahon, Nick Phipps, Benn Robinson, Rob Simmons, Will Skelton, James Slipper, Henry Speight, Joe Tomane, Matt Toomua, Nic White. 
 
Morgan Piek / OFM News 

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