His Leicester Tigers side are up against Ulster in Saturday’s Champions Cup clash

Listen | 28:11
Michael Cheika took over as head coach of Leicester Tigers in June 2024. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images
Michael Cheika took over as head coach of Leicester Tigers in June 2024. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images

Michael Cheika was the head coach who guided Leinster to their first European crown in 2009. Now, coaching Leicester Tigers, he squares off against Irish opposition with Ulster travelling on Saturday night.

Alongside Gordon D’Arcy, who Cheika coached, The Counter Ruck looks back on the Australian’s time in Dublin. How did he convince the top Leinster brass to take a punt on an unproven coach? Did the Leinster players need a good kick up the backside? Are there parallels between Leinster then and Leicester now? Why is Cheika seen as ‘the turnaround man’, the coach to call when a side needs an upturn in fortunes?

Produced by John Casey.