Argentina coach Michael Cheika mentioned he had been “energised” by guiding Lebanon within the Rugby League World Cup simply days earlier than the Pumas edged England 30-29 at Twickenham on Sunday.
Emiliano Boffelli scored 25 of Argentina’s factors, together with one in every of their two tries, in what was a gown rehearsal for subsequent yr’s rugby union World Cup conflict between the 2 groups because the Pumas emerged victorious of their Autumn Nations Series opener.
Cheika, the Sydney-born son of Lebanese immigrants, had been in command of the Cedars as they suffered a 48-4 quarter-final loss to reigning league world champions Australia in Huddersfield, on Friday.
“To be honest, I’ve loved it. I love being here with these fellas, they are good to be around, they make you want to get up in the morning and do your absolute best to prepare them,” Cheika instructed reporters.
“The experience with Lebanon, it’s my heritage and my family’s heritage, the Rugby League World Cup was probably one of the best in my life, sporting wise.
“That connection back to your heritage and coaching guys from totally different levels of footie, amateurs, it gave me so much energy.
“It could have been a perfect weekend, but if we are going to get beat, may as well get beat by Australia.”
Argentina’s tour continues subsequent weekend in opposition to a Wales facet overwhelmed 55-23 by New Zealand in Cardiff on Saturday.
Sunday’s win was simply Argentina’s second over England at Twickenham following a 25-18 triumph again in 2006.
The win additionally noticed Argentina finish a run of three successive defeats by all opponents, together with back-to-back losses in opposition to world champions South Africa within the southern hemisphere Rugby Championship and a 10-match shedding streak in opposition to England.
Australia v Lebanon: Match Highlights | 02:52
“It was tricky too because no one in that (Argentina) side had won against England before,” mentioned Cheika, Australia’s coach once they defeated England at Twickenham through the 2015 World Cup.
“So you’ve got to combine the mental side of it with the tactical and the technical and of course it was only a small margin too.” But Cheika, who performed alongside Red Rose coach Eddie Jones at Sydney membership Randwick, refused to learn an excessive amount of into Sunday’s outcome forward of Argentina’s World Cup pool opener in opposition to England in Marseille on September 9.
“I’m not big on laying the markers and all that type of stuff,” he mentioned.
“It will be a totally different game.”
Under Cheika, the Pumas beat the All Blacks in New Zealand for the primary time in August.
Discipline, nevertheless, has been a difficulty in latest instances however on Sunday each Argentina and England conceded 10 penalties every.
“Defensively, we probably played more without the ball but we took better decisions and weren’t penalised as much as we were against South Africa,” mentioned Cheika.