Michael Cheika to split Lebanon rugby league role with Argentina ahead of England Test

“It’s a huge game for Argentina as well, against a team we’ll play in our World Cup pool next year.

“There’s been a lot of talk about whether I can do it but it’s about trying to do it properly, not just do it. I want a situation where I am making a contribution to both teams and do them both justice.”

Should he find that his partial absence from one team has a detrimental effect, Cheika will put control of that side into the hands of his assistants in the full faith that they are prepared to step up. “I’ve got good coaches with me in both teams and I trust them implicitly,” he added.

“Coaching against the Kangaroos would never have entered into my mind so now it’s here I really want to profit from the opportunity.”

A hectic schedule is not unfamiliar for Cheika, who has a third job as director of rugby at the Japanese rugby union club Green Rockets, but even by his own standards the build-up to this Pool C decider was far from straightforward.

The Lebanon team hotel in Manchester has been targeted by thieves twice in the past few days, and Cheika revealed they had to deal with another intruder on the eve of the match.

“They say we’re sort of part-timers, I think the other part-time work we’re doing at the moment is security work,” Cheika joked.

“Someone came in the team room. I’m not sure what happened but they called me and I settled it all down and the police did their bit after that. It’s been a bit of a crazy week.”

Born in Sydney to Lebanese immigrant parents in 1967, Cheika will coach in his third straight Rugby World Cup when he leads Argentina next year in France.

But his decision to take the role on as Cedars head coach was borne out of a desire to honour his parents’ homeland. They emigrated from Lebanon to Australia in 1950 and the former Leinster, Stade Francais and New South Wales Waratahs head coach refers to himself as “a very proud Australian-Lebanese person”.

Much of Lebanon’s squad is made up of players based in western Sydney, where there is a huge expat community.

Lebanon are ranked 13th in the world but Cheika will relish going up against the reigning world champions and country of his birth: “When you come into a World Cup you want to test yourself against the best and this will certainly be a test.

“We understand we’re the underdogs, that’s pretty clear.  Along with England, they’ve been the best team in the tournament so far.”