Michael Cheika entered the auditorium at the appointed time in which just a few seconds later he would reveal the 33 names and surnames that he will take to the Rugby World Cup in France 2023 with a dream goal. Local journalists were waiting for him, but also from Japan and other countries, and among them also the president of the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR), Gabriel Travaglini. If it had been television, the moment could have been eternal.
But the Australian entered with folder in hand, sat down and immediately after greeting began to list each member of the World Cup squad. Within a minute and 20 seconds, there were no more secrets: the general manager had offered his list. "If there is a question, I am ready," he said and closed the folder that previously shielded the list.
Argentina is a team that competes at the first level and its performance – on that scale – has more troubles than prominence. But he also has extraordinary triumphs, which archive the date in the 1985 calendar when the draw against New Zealand on the Ferro court was the greatest possible feat. Last year, under the Australian's leadership, Los Pumas beat the All Blacks at home for the Rugby Championship. Two years earlier, they had done it for the first time in Sydney, for the Try Nations.
The coach arrived at Los Pumas in 2022 to prepare a competitive team for the upcoming World Cup. Beyond the epic triumphs before the All Blacks, nobody – not even the most chauvinistic – would place among the objectives of the Argentine team for France 2023 the possibility of being champions. Except Cheika, who as an Argentine has nothing except the customs she adopted in the last year and a half. He said it before the list and after it: he works to conquer the maximum title of the sport.
Australian Michael Cheika, during the warm-up of South Africa vs Los Pumas.Photo: AFP
"Every year that the World Cup comes, this question comes. In all humility, because we are not number one in the world, nor number two, maybe number eight or seven... but if our goal is not to be champion, why are we going to the World Cup? That is the challenge of the World Cup, "he reiterated and took time to substantiate why he considers that a team, seventh in the world ranking, can dream of fighting in the final of the World Cup.
"In the 15th World Cup in England, with Australia, the same situation: they didn't think we could and we played the final. Everything is possible, everything when we believe and prepare ourselves in the way in which it makes possible to realize what is in the head, in the dream. That's what we're preparing for. In our preparation, our behavior and how we are preparing, we can take confidence to achieve our goal, "said Cheika and gave his experience at the head of the selection of his country, as an example.
Cheika probably does not know who Mostaza Merlo is, much less the path of Racing in 2001 to rediscover the laurels after 35 years. However, the "step by step" underpins his idea. On the horizon of the World Cup, the head coach only has in his sights the first of the Group D matches, the first in Marseille against England on September 9.
And it is not a position: the Japanese press wanted to know how he would face the selection of his country on October 8, the last of the qualifying phase and there was no case. "You guys come from Japan? I apologize then because they came from far away and they won't have an answer to their question, I'm just focused on England, the first opponent," he said with some pity for the situation.
In that step by step – step by step? – that supposes one rival at a time, is the key to Cheika to achieve the final. Take one step and then think about the next, instead of calculating how many steps are to reach the goal. "After the first result, one can draw conclusions for the next one," he said on another occasion. With the conviction of thinking and working to be World Champion with Los Pumas, the coach also attaches a clarification.
"I understand that my answer is for a main (journalistic) title and it's not the idea. I don't want that, because we need to have the humility that we have as a team, but at the same time know that we are in competition with the teams and every week we can get closer to that goal."
Sorry Cheika, but it really is a good title.
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