Cheika building his 'dynasty'; Rugby Dynasty

The Waratahs have yet to break their Super Rugby title duck, but coach Michael Cheika is convinced they are on the verge of creating a long-lasting dynasty.

Speaking to the media ahead of hosting their first-ever Super Rugby Final, against the Crusaders on Saturday, the outspoken Sydney-based mentor said they are building something will continue to bring success in the future and produce an attacking game that will outlive whatever they do on Saturday.

"For me, as the coach, the things that I will look at, will come later," Cheika said.

"If I can sit the grandstand in 10 years' time, and watch the team playing, and they're still playing the same way with the same competitive spirit and I can say: 'I was a part of building that'.

"That is more the reward that I'm looking for.

"The short-term success is great as well, if you can get those it's always great and a great thing for our supporters, and of course I want to win it, but it's what happens after, for a coach."

Long-suffering New South Wales fans are desperate to see their team hoist the trophy for the first time in the 19-year history of the competition.

However, Cheika has always had his eye on the longer term vision of what he is working towards at the perennially under-performing franchise.

"We need to go through another couple of years of being competitive and strong and laying that foundation, so our young players in our Under-20 team are seeing the sacrifices you have to make the hard work that goes into playing for the Waratahs going forward," Cheika said,

"We've got to go out there on Saturday and make sure people see who we are, and we're very clear with our identity, and play our style of game.

Cheika said he is banking on a proven formula, as he strives to complete a feat of overseeing title triumphs in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

In 2009 Cheika guided Ireland's Leinster to the European Cup, the Northern Hemisphere's version of Super Rugby.

On Saturday, Cheika can add the crown of the Southern Hemisphere's premier franchise/provincial competition to that.

He is adopting a similar lead-up to the one that paid dividends five years ago.

Cheika, who is in his second season with NSW, noted parallels between the two campaigns.

Both Leinster and the Waratahs vanquished a fierce domestic rival in their respective semifinal to book a showdown with a celebrated and consistent trophy-winning team from another country.

"In that season we [Leinster] had to overcome a domestic rival [Munster] before we went on to [English club] Leicester, which had a rich heritage in winning European cups," Cheika recalled.

"We just relaxed a little bit that week, earlier in the week.

"Maybe on the second day, start to say 'right, let's forget about all that other stuff and focus on what we need to do to beat this team', then do the best we can on the Saturday.

"That's pretty much the chart we're trying to follow here."

Sources: The Daily Telegraph & AAP

w South Wales Waratahs coach Michael Cheika has been given a suspended six-month ban by Super Rugby's governing body after he admitted abusing a cameraman in late March.

Cheika, 47, was charged with misconduct for using crude, insulting or abusive language, a breach of SANZAR's code of conduct, during his team's defeat to the Sharks in Durban.

Judicial officer Nigel Hampton found that Cheika had abused the cameraman at least twice shortly after halftime, with accompanied finger pointing, and swore at him on at least one further occasion.

Banned: New South Wales Waratahs coach Michael Cheika has been suspended for six months

 

He also found Cheika's evidence 'unconvincing', that false accusations and fabricated witness evidence were made on his behalf, but that while the abuse was unprovoked and disturbing, it was not threatening.

'This matter bears a number of striking similarities with past instances, particularly the use of foul and abusive language towards those charged with running a match and the propensity of Mr Cheika to behave in this manner is disturbing,' Hampton said in a statement.

'Given his previous record and the factual findings of the investigation, I regard this as a serious offence and do not see it as a result of any provocation, nor is there any excuse for it.'

Cheika admitted using 'stern' language on at least one occasion.

The ban is suspended until Aug. 31 2015, with Cheika ordered to pay costs of 6,000 Australian dollars ($5,600)and apologise to the cameraman.

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Leader: Cheika leads a team talk ahead of the visit of the British and Irish Lions in June last year

Cheika was given a warning by SANZAR during the 2013 Super Rugby season and was handed a large fine for abusing match officials during and after Stade Francais' loss to Harlequins in the final of the 2011 Amlin Cup, Europe's second-tier rugby competition.

Two weeks before the Sharks match Cheika, who was given 48-hours to appeal the decision, broke a glass door at Canberra Stadium.