Genia and Simmons impressed by range of Cheika’s skills

Australia duo Will Genia and Rob Simmons have revealed the soft and stern sides of former Leinster coach Michael Cheika.

Since replacing Ewen McKenzie in October, Cheika has spent little time with the squad but Genia believes his mental strength and willingness to get to know the players means the relatively short preparation time before the World Cup will not be a problem.

“He’s very strong in his beliefs on how he wants to do things,” Genia said. “He’s a very honest guy, very genuine in the way he interacts with you. The thing I’ve enjoyed the most about him is he doesn’t just want to get to know you as a player, he wants to get to know you as a person, and that’s a very important thing for a head coach. It’s a quality I really admire.