Rugby League World Cup: ‘We’re doing part-time security work’ – Michael Cheika reveals Lebanon hotel break-ins | Rugby League News

The Lebanon team suffered two breaks-ins at their hotel in Manchester prior to booking their place in the World Cup quarter-finals with a 74-12 win over Jamaica; Head coach Michael Cheika revealed the second of those saw the players chase and detail an intruder

Michael Cheika revealed Lebanon’s players chased and detained an intruder at their team hotel

Michael Cheika is hoping to focus his attention on the quarter-final clash with Australia after a “crazy week” in which his Lebanon players chased and detained an intruder in their team hotel.

In the wake of Lebanon booking their place in the knock-out stages of the Rugby League World Cup with a 74-12 victory over Jamaica at the Leigh Sports Village, Cheika revealed all about two break-ins at their Manchester base.

Police were also summoned following the first break-in when the Cedars’ entire playing kit was stolen, only to be retrieved later in the night.

Cheika, who lost his laptop following the first break-in, was able to see the funny side after his players took the law into their own hands the second time.

“We had another intruder last night,” Cheika said. “They say we’re sort of part-timers, I think the other part-time work we’re doing at the moment is security work.

“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. I woke up early in the morning to do a Zoom and went down to the team room and everything was gone.

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

Lebanon head coach Michael Cheika

“We got our strip back, that’s the main thing. I think we handled it pretty well and now we’re pushing on past that.”

Cheika was delighted with the Cedars’ 13-try romp against Jamaica, highlighted by a hat-trick of tries from former Australia winger Josh Mansour, which earned them a place in Friday’s first quarter-final against Mal Meninga’s Australia at Huddersfield’s John Smith’s Stadium.

The former Australia rugby union boss combines his Lebanon duties with being head coach of Argentina’s rugby union side and now faces a hectic weekend, with his Pumas playing Eddie Jones’ England in an autumn international at Twickenham next Sunday.

Cheika will rely heavily on his assistants Felipe Contepomi and Matt King with Argentina and Lebanon respectively as he juggles both roles this week.

Josh Mansour’s hat-trick helped Lebanon to a comfortable win over Jamaica

“It’s probably going to be one day here, one day there,” Cheika said. “Everything has to be nailed down here first because we’re in a World Cup and it’s extremely important.

“We’ve done a lot of preparation work with the coaches from Argentina. They were here from Sunday through Wednesday with the team last week.

“We had permission to have a camp and I was able to spend a couple of days with them because we had days off.”