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Michael Cheika's Waratahs have stumbled after a winning start to the season. Dan Sheridan/INPHO
Anger Management

Former Leinster coach Michael Cheika investigated for allegedly abusing cameraman

The incident occurred a week after the Waratahs chief broke a glass pane during an away defeat to the Brumbies.

FORMER LEINSTER BOSS Michael Cheika has found himself in trouble for a couple of hot-headed responses to recent defeats.

Cheika, who coached Leinster to Heineken Cup success in 2009, is being investigated by SANZAR for allegedly abusing and threatening a cameraman during his team’s weekend loss to the Sharks, in South Africa. The Australian has also earned his club a $1,089 damages bill for smashing the glass panel of a door at Canberra Stadium.

The alleged abuse of the Super Sport cameraman took place in the second half of the Waratahs 32-10 loss to the Sharks. Dave Dennis was sent to the sin bin and Cheika left his coach’s box to speak with defence coach Nathan Grey. The cameraman got to close and Cheika, in no uncertain terms, told him to shift.

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Super Sport spokesperson Clinton van der Berg told Rugby Heaven: “There was a confrontation with the cameraman, the coach objected to Super Sport filming him and he approached and abused him. A couple of choice words were used. Where Super Sport draws the line is being threatened.”

A SANZAR spokesperson said the organisation would be investigating the incident today and would make no further comment until it reached a conclusion. Cheika reasoned, after the game, that he had walked to the sideline to tell Dennis, his captain, to be more vocal with the referee as the game had too many stoppages.

On week prior to the incident in Durban, Cheika was in the away team’s coaching box at the Brumbies home stadium when a glass panel splintered in the final minutes of the game. The Waratahs say the damage was purely accidental and occurred as Cheika was pushing the door opened. The Brumbies remain unconvinced and are sending a bill to their Australian rivals.

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