Cheika Eager to Restore Leicester Tigers’ Glory in First Premiership Season

Leicester Tigers’ new head coach, Michael Cheika, is ready to embrace the challenge of restoring the club’s historic dominance in the English Premiership. Cheika, a seasoned coach known for leading Argentina and Australia at the international level, took over the reins in June, following Dan McKellar’s departure after a lackluster 2023-24 season where Leicester finished a disappointing eighth.

As the 57-year-old Australian prepares for his first full season in charge, he acknowledges the weight of expectation that comes with leading a club like Leicester, which boasts an impressive 11 Premiership titles.

“I’ve been in that environment before, and I like the challenge,” Cheika shared on BBC 5 Live’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast. “Often other people don’t like you because of the reputation, and I like to be in that position. You have to embrace it because that is why you come here. You want to learn about the history and make some of your own."

For Cheika, who also led Leinster to a European Champions Cup title in 2009, the job isn’t just about maintaining Leicester’s proud reputation; it’s about advancing it. He stressed the importance of moving beyond the legacy of past greats like Martin Johnson, Geordan Murphy, and Rory Underwood. “They don’t just want you to live off their reputation,” Cheika explained. “It’s good to have a reputation, but you have to push that on and use it as an advantage.”

Drawing from his playing days with New South Wales in Australia, where he also faced high expectations, Cheika is no stranger to the pressure of big clubs with rich histories. “When you go to these clubs, you have to decide if you are going to live up to the reputation or if you are going to move it forward and make a change.”

Despite his extensive coaching experience across several leagues, Cheika admits it’s still difficult to predict exactly how Leicester will fare this season. “It’s hard to get a gauge on how good we can be until the season starts. I need to be on the ground, competing with those teams to understand the league.”

Cheika will have his first real test as Leicester head coach on 21 September when the Tigers travel to face Exeter Chiefs in their season opener. He remains determined to “master” the English Premiership, adding it to a résumé that already includes stints in the United Rugby Championship and France’s Top 14.

For Leicester fans, Cheika’s arrival marks a new era. His determination to honor the club’s storied past while pushing for new heights has reignited hopes of a return to title contention. “If I didn’t want this challenge, I wouldn’t have taken it,” Cheika said. Now, he aims to prove that he is the man to take Leicester Tigers back to the pinnacle of English rugby.