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Having coached in World Cup, Heineken Cup, and Super Rugby finals in rugby union, Michael Cheika approaches his team’s final fixture at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup with the same intensity. The Cedars will face France on Sunday at 06:50 GMT in what the Australian coach treats as a championship match.
A Grand Final for the Cedars
Lebanon reached the quarter-finals four years ago under Cheika, but losses to Papua New Guinea and Tonga in their opening two games ended their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the abridged tournament. Speaking to BBC Sport, Cheika noted that his squad did not play any fixtures between this World Cup and the previous one.
Cheika stated, as reported by BBC Sport, “We’ve got the one game here against France on Sunday and it’s really our Grand Final.” He added, “I know it’ll be for France as well, knowing some players inside of their team. I suppose it’s not the climax of the tournament, but definitely for us this is a finals fixture and we’re approaching it that way.”
Representing Heritage on the World Stage
Born to Lebanese migrants, Cheika highlighted the rarity and importance of representing the country globally. He explained that people in Lebanon and his own relatives are watching, noting how often Australians can support a national team compared to the Lebanese community.
Cheika’s involvement with the team provides a personal connection to his family’s roots after they left Lebanon in 1950 seeking a better life. He shared a story about his father arriving in Australia and being dropped in Redfern near a local Lebanese church and the Redfern Oval where South Sydney played rugby league, helping working-class migrants integrate into the community.
“And I think now for the boys to be able to represent their heritage in their area of expertise, their passion, that’s something I never thought I could do,” Cheika told BBC Sport.
Balancing Rugby Codes
Although Cheika grew up watching both rugby codes, he admits challenges exist when switching between them. His previous role in rugby union was with Leicester Tigers for the 2024-25 season, and he will return to the Waratahs for the next Super Rugby campaign.
Fluent in Arabic, French, and Italian, Cheika compared code-switching to changing languages, where grammar and sentence construction differ, but foundational player values like courage, aggression, commitment, and trust remain identical.
While preparation for his Waratahs return has already started, Cheika does not expect Sunday’s match to be his final involvement in rugby league. He reflected that his 27th year of coaching last year felt fresh, and he hopes to cross back and forth between the two codes a few more times.
