Q&A with Michael Cheika | Leicester Tigers

It’s difficult, you have to keep that relationship in a different way – as a coach and a player – than just friends.

This all happened very quickly and he’s obviously away preparing for the Rugby Test with Argentina, so I wasn’t going to get in his face or distract him. But I talked to him, yeah, about how he thinks I’d fit in.

I don’t want him to appreciate his team-mates, I just wanted him to tell me if he thought I was right for the job, right for the club, fit the Tigers identity and the Leicester lifestyle to put the best guy . of rugby there for this club.

Because look, at the end of the day it’s not just about me going to Leicester. I can always go to Leicester and Leicester Tigers for a visit. This, me coming to the Tigers, is about being successful and for that to happen you have to have a good fit.

While it might still be too early to tell, what are your indicators for this team’s success?

There are several markers that you have at different levels; players, at different stages of their careers, that you want to see improve, but I want to make the players and the fans happy, really happy

Now when it all comes down to it, that usually comes with good rugby and winning games.

All other things lead to this. I want Leicester Tigers to compete on as many fronts as we can every time we go out and play together.

Then it’s just one step at a time, together, to build the foundations.

Every player and every team wants to win trophies – you don’t play if you don’t want to win – but there’s a difference between wanting to win and doing what it takes to win. I will do this.

After your time in the Test arena, how excited are you to be back in club rugby?

As good and great as international rugby is, and as great an honor as it is, the downside is that you won’t get to do it every week.

I love being in it, whatever I’m doing, completely in it – the week-to-week build-up, the game-after-game, day-after-game, that gives this opportunity.

Yes, there will be a transition for me back into it, but I’m organizing those things now to make sure I’m ready for it

This process was faster than any other – how did it evolve and what helped it to resolve so quickly?

We spoke to the club last year which was well publicized and I think the existing relationship helped move the conversation effectively last week. I think it was a positive thing in this scenario to help him move.

We’ve had a good relationship with the club a long time ago, with different people at the club in administration and management, and even a long time ago when we brought Leo (Cullen) and Shane (Jennings) back to Leinster from Leicester, I started building relationships back then.

My boyfriend and I actually came to a game last season against Saracens and we were well looked after – which no one should have to do – but it was nice.

Having those connections with the people at the club definitely helped me make that decision quickly.

You know, one minute I was thinking about going to rugby league in Australia, which I always said I wanted to do, but after it didn’t work out and you get an opportunity like this, I feel very lucky.

A phone call from Leicester Tigers is one you get.

With just days until pre-season starts, how much will you be playing from day one?

The program that the players start on day one on Monday will have a strong input from me and will include the core principles that I believe are important in pre-season.

It’s important for me to be there as soon as possible, to set that agenda on how we’re going to operate, how we’re going to play rugby.

Not everything will be presented on day one, but there is an opportunity for those important things to be explained from the start and to make sure the players, coaches and staff understand why we do the things we do.

I want everything explained, I want players and people involved, and I want everyone to know me from the beginning; the way I train is about having a strong connection with the people around me and all knowing that they are valued in exactly the same way.

What else would you say to the players, coaches, staff and supporters there, just three sleeps away from the start of the new campaign?

I want this to be my best coach so far, and the preparation and the way we run the team, I want it to be at my best level.

If I can bring my best level, other people will bring their best level and good things will start happening around us.

I’m looking forward to the chance to meet the fans, the sponsors, the staff and start talking and working together – all of us – about how the club will evolve and what we’ll look like this season.