As Michael Cheika stares down the mountain of all World Cup challenges and a 48-hour, code-crossing coaching schedule, Mal Meninga has backed his Lebanon rival to make a full-time switch to rugby league.
Lebanon’s World Cup campaign is on a collision course with the Kangaroos in next week’s quarter-finals, though the Cedars were delivered an unwanted curveball when team gear and laptops were stolen from their hotel leading into Sunday’s clash with Jamaica.
Sources have confirmed several items went missing from Lebanon’s Manchester hotel, with police now investigating the matter.
The Cedars’ playing uniforms have since been found with World Cup organisers also assisting police and Lebanon officials.
A win against lowly Jamaica will book the Cedars passage to a quarter-final clash with the Kangaroos, setting up Cheika’s remarkable bid to coach Lebanon on Friday next week, and then Argentina’s rugby union side against England two days later.
Meninga has been impressed by Lebanon’s enterprising play under Cheika, which has featured tactics inspired by the 15-a-side game.
Lebanon’s last-start win over Ireland featured five one-on-one steals in the first half, while Mitchell Moses and Adam Doueihi kicked early and often with success against New Zealand before the Kiwis eventually pulled away.
“I’ve only met [Cheika] a couple of times but obviously he’s a student,” Meninga said.
“He’s got some great staff and great players in his footy team, smart players. They’ll come with a really definite plan around how they’re going to upset us.
“In rugby league our defensive systems are really good and players have a really good understanding of how to defend different scenarios and teams.
“To be creative that’s probably the new frontier for our game. Defensively teams are hard to break down so you’ve got to come up with new ways of doing that with the ball.”
Lebanon’s World Cup campaign under Cheika has been a happy one.Credit:Getty
Cheika has worked with Trent Robinson at the Roosters and along with his old Randwick mate Eddie Jones – who will lead England against him on November 6 – the former Wallabies coach has long held an interest in rugby league.
Even with the constant churn of NRL coaches it would take a genuine leap of faith for a club to back a union-based coach. But Meninga believes Cheika could make it in rugby league if given the chance.
“There’s no reason why he can’t transfer it over to our game and do well,” Meninga said.
“There’s been a lot of good examples of leaguies going to union. [London Irish coach] Les Kiss is a good example. They all started off with specific roles at clubs, particularly defensively, and then all of a sudden they’ve become head coaches.
“I think there’s no reason why [it can’t happen the other way], particularly in Australia where we all grow up with league and union, there’s a really good understanding of both codes. We’re not foreign to it.
“I know that Michael’s done a bit of work with the Roosters and he’s got Matty King and some really good staff around him.”
