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Michael Cheika made a fortune long before finding success as a rugby coach – all thanks to selling jeans.
Cheika, who is looking to lead Argentina to the Rugby World Cup final for the very first time with a semi-final win over New Zealand on Friday, once made millions in the women’s fashion industry.
The 56-year-old Australian, who coached the Wallabies between 2014 and 2019, worked for leading fashion designer Collette Dinnigan before setting up his own distribution company.
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The riches came after he found a jeans brand made famous by Victoria Beckham and gained the rights to sell them with his Live Fashion company, reported the New Zealand Herald in 2015.
The distribution was assisted by his ability to speak multiple languages including Arabic, French and Italian, with Cheika later turning his full attention to rugby coaching.
Following a playing career that included spells with Livorno and New South Wales, Cheika has since coached Leinster, Stade Francais and Australia among others.
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His return to the international scene with Argentina began in 2022, since leading them to six wins from 14 matches including the 29-17 quarter-final triumph over Wales.
Three-time champions New Zealand await after they knocked out Ireland, with Argentina looking to reach their first ever final.
The Pumas reached semi-finals in both 2007 and 2015, but slipped out in the pool stages back in 2019.
England's rugby team will be aiming for glory in France, with Umbro supplying their kits for the tournament. It is the first time that the supplier have been handed the chance to produce the kits, with a traditional white home shirt emblazoned with the iconic red rose.
From £75
Having taken Australia to the final back in 2015, Cheika said this week: "Pretty happy, I suppose. These players are such good people, without getting too emotional.
"They have worked really hard and I think that hard work showed at the end of the game today. They wanted to fight for it, they wanted to earn it.
"We were behind so it takes a bit of leg work. The whole 23 along with the 10 who didn't play put in a huge effort."
- Rugby World Cup
- Rugby union
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