Cheika ‘embracing’ challenge of Tigers' reputation

Leicester Tigers caput coach Michael Cheika is relishing nan situation of surviving up to nan club’s estimation successful his first English Premiership season.

The Australian was appointed caput coach successful June, replacing chap countryman Dan McKellar who near aft nan Tigers vanished eighth successful a disappointing 2023-24 campaign.

Cheika, who astir precocious led nan Argentina nationalist team, said he knows what it takes to win astatine a large nine for illustration Leicester who person won 11 Premiership titles.

“I’ve been successful that situation earlier and I for illustration nan challenge,” Cheika told BBC 5 Live’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

“Often different group don’t for illustration you because of nan estimation and I for illustration to beryllium successful that position

“You person to clasp it arsenic that is nan logic why you travel here. You want to study astir nan history and make immoderate of your own.

“If I didn’t want this situation past I wouldn’t person taken it.”

Cheika antecedently spent clip pinch New South Wales during his playing days and is drafting connected that experience.

“I played for a nine successful Australia that had a large estimation for years and a successful history,” nan 57-year-old said.

“When you spell to these clubs you person to determine if you are going to unrecorded up to nan estimation aliases if you are going to return that estimation near by others and move it guardant and make it amended and make a change.

“The Martin Johnsons’, Geordan Murphy’s and [Rory] Underwood's are each those players who person played astatine Leicester.

“That is what they want you to do. They don’t conscionable want you to unrecorded disconnected their reputation. It’s bully to person a estimation but you person to push that connected and usage it arsenic an advantage.”

The erstwhile Australia caput coach said it is “hard to get a gauge” really bully Leicester tin beryllium until nan caller play begins.

“I request to get connected nan ground, you request to beryllium competing pinch those teams to understand nan league,” he said.

Cheika, who led Irish broadside Leinster to a European Champions Cup triumph against his caller nine successful 2009, will return complaint of his first crippled distant astatine Exeter Chiefs connected 21 September.

“I’ve been successful nan Celtic League - now nan URC - nan Top 14, which I haven’t mastered, and now nan Premiership is thing I want to master," he added.