Former Wallabies captain Andrew Slack has hit out at departing coach Michael Cheika following Australia's embarrassing exit from the Rugby World Cup.
The Grand Slam-winning captain accused Cheika of being spoilt during his five-year tenure, which came to an end when he announced he was walking away after Australia's shocking 40-16 quarter-finalo loss to England.
Slack's comments come in response to the parting words of Cheika towards Rugby Australia, where he took aim at the governing body and in particular new director of rugby Scott Johnson.
“Scott’s a lovely bloke and I get on fine with him but I’m sort of not really into that type of thing,” Cheika said on Monday after announcing he would be stepping down.
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“I like to take that responsibility. I found also that it changed my normal routine around things.
“Not that my way’s definitely the right way, I’m definitely not saying that, always.
“But that’s just the way I like to operate.
“I’ve always prided myself on not compromising my own values and what I want to do. So I found that a little bit difficult at times, yeah.”
However Slack, who captained Australia to 14 wins from 19 Test matches, said all Cheika was doing was shifting the blame from himself.
"It sounds to me as if he's been spoilt,” Slack said.
“From my perspective, and I think a lot of us outside don’t exactly know the machinations of the administrative connection with coaches but from where I stood and from what I heard from people inside he got pretty well whatever he wanted.
A fair call from Michael Cheika❓🤔
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“This year changed a bit with the selectors. He wanted to take them on a pre-season trip to America which would’ve cost a million bucks. They ended up taking them to Noumea. Whether or not he’s dirty about that.
“It seems to me, that for the first four years as coach he got absolutely everything he wanted.
“So if he wants to blame somebody I’m not sure he should be throwing darts at Rugby Australia.
"I just don't think that's the way to do it, I think the term sore loser comes to mind.
“I’m not sticking up for Rugby Australia. What I’ve thought from the distance is they’ve given him too much.
“I didn’t think it was a particularly graceful exit."
Slack is the latest big name to take a parting shot at Cheika, after former Wallabies star Quade Cooper suggested he should've walked "a while ago".
Meanwhile, another former Wallabies captain in Greg Martin has called for a mass overhaul inside Rugby Australia, and slammed CEO Raelene Castle after another failed World Cup campaign.
