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'When I was here 20 years ago I had the chance to stay on as well and I went back to New Zealand probably too early'

(Photo by Ross Land/Getty Images)

John Mitchell has suggested the feeling there is unfinished business with England was the reason why he signed a contract extension this week, not only because they failed to finish the job at the 2019 World Cup but also because of what he decided 21 years ago, quitting his assistant’s role under Clive Woodward and missing out on 2003 World Cup glory. 

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England wanted him to stay on as forwards coach but he instead went back to New Zealand to become head coach at the Super Rugby Chiefs, a decision that was effectively a Test level sliding doors moment.

While Mitchell soon went on to coach the All Blacks, his native country were defeated in the 2003 semi-finals by Eddie Jones’ Australia who themselves were pipped in the final by Woodward’s England, the team Mitchell could still have been working for had he decided to stick rather than twist after the 2000 Six Nations title was clinched.  

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That 21-year-old decision was something he touched on when explaining his reasons for sticking by the current England crop who will look to make amends in France in 2023 for falling at the final hurdle in Japan versus the Springboks in 2019.

“When I was here 20 years ago I had the chance to stay on as well and I went back to New Zealand probably too early but the reasons were to take our children back to grandparents,” he explained. “This time I am in a position where it just feels right. 

It just feels right to continue to invest in this team, invest in the players and invest in myself in terms of getting better. For me, the outcome is a byproduct of really good preparation, finding new ways and just dealing in the moment. 

“This side has so much more potential, has so much more in it. We don’t realise how much better we can get and I want to be a part of helping the players and the team find that way, it just excites me. 

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“You have a choice, don’t you? You have a choice to go and take on leadership yourself at a high level, you have the choice to accept mediocrity and lower standards, or you have the choice to give up young. I’m not really for any of those things at this moment in time. 

“This environment challenges me hugely to being the best I possibly can for the player group and I enjoy the energy of the players, I enjoy the energy of the staff and the coaches. It fits well for me. It’s just a feeling that I think is right.

“I really like the mix of experience and youth that is coming through. They give off really good energy. They work hard, they want to get better, there is a huge desire in our group, there is a willingness to wanting to get better and it’s what you want to be around and that’s who you want to be with.    

“It was a tough call,” continued Mitchell, again referencing his 2000 England departure, “and then to become an adversary as well during that window. After the ’99 World Cup, we were extremely disappointed but we went on to win that first-ever Six Nations the following year. 

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“Woody [Woodward] at the time asked me to stay but I had already committed travel and furniture and all those sorts of things back to New Zealand. That’s the fate of choice, isn’t it?”

Mitchell went on from the Chiefs and the All Blacks to having numerous head coaching positions elsewhere in South Africa and Australia and with the USA national team, but the 56-year-old insisted he is satisfied with his current defence coach position under Jones.  

“I can still think like a head coach but I can behave as an assistant coach,” he quipped. “That is the simplicity around it. It’s important that I bring my head coaching to a number of situations. 

“I have got an obligation to fill the cracks, I have got an obligation to think ahead, I have an obligation to bring solutions to Eddie and to the coaching group… assistant coaching these days is very much around co-coaching and working together.

“It [head coach] is something I can do but it is something I’m not even focused on. If I was going to head coach, if I had that motivation right now, I would probably not have made the (contract extension) decision that I have made. 

“I’m very happy and grateful, enjoying the role of assistant coach. Early on it took some adaption and adjustment. It’s a tough job but it sits with me a lot easier.”

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J
JPM 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Unfortunately you don't know anything about French rugby, coaches and players but still making a lot of assumptions and judgements to push your prefabricated and simplistic point of view that Dupont is manipulating everything and is a bad guy. I am not a NZ rugby specialist and wouldn't dare make such theories about what is going on within the ABs team. Therefore my advice to you is to do like Dupont and stay humble when you don't know all the background of the issues !!!


Firstly if you knew a bit of Galthié, he is not the type of coach who is going to ask advice to his players and even his captain about team selection. He is as stubborn as you...


Second Ramos has played a lot of times as 10 with Toulouse and therefore Dupont (in particular when Ntamack is injured and unfortunately it has often happened recently and for long periods). He even played 10 during the last 3 games of the 2024 6N and this was far better performance than the first two games with Jalibert as 10.


Thirdly Jalibert lacked of respect to a La Rochelle player so your theory is once again out.


Fourth as I explained to you Galthié went for a 6-2 bench and Jalibert can only play 10 which doesn't fit that plan. Furthermore as 15 Buros is better under high balls than Ramos and everybody is prepared for a tactical kicking game.


So you can blame Galthié for a lot of things (as you clearly enjoy doing at the end of your post and you should be very happy as an AB fan) but certainly not Dupont. Sorry once more for your conspiracy theory.


And don't worry about potential disharmony in the French team; they are excellent mates around their captain. Jalibert is well known in the French rugby circles to have not a strong character (and we saw that in the WC quarter finals as he is very nervous in any decisive international game unlike Ntamack and Ramos as for his late penalty kick vs England this year).


In conclusion enjoy the game tmrw night. It is good that the ABs are very upset; we should watch a great game of rugby. I hope for running rugby and not too much kicking. With 5 key players injured on our side (Ntamack, Baille, Atonio, Cros and Penaud) and 2 on your side I and various French fans see you as favourites. I obviously hope for another result.


If you are interested you can read a good article in the Guardian on the subject of France-NZ games.

92 Go to comments
K
KB 1 hour ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

Consistency hasnt been there they have many great players SA were also not unbeaten in the 2023 WC - NZ were in 2015 WC McCaw and Carter Nonu and Smith - SA did not have those Marque players in those postions in 2019 or 2023 - I wouldnt rank them ahead of the 20I5 ABs - They clocked up 60 points against France in the QF - Furthermore I do not believe for one moment SA won 2023 fairly no way - they were so favoured it became obvious that behind the scenes SA the nation bought the title - Their last 3 matches were won by a solitary point there were many contentious decisions that went their way that it became obvious it wasnt coincidence - Sport has been hijacked by a satanic cult just as is Politics

Some players coaches officials and sponsors are involved - they know who they are - its called Freemasonry - any sport that allows betting is corrupt - its not all about money either for these parasites its also about control - Lots of American NFL players have spoken openly about games being scripted - Football is also rigged Referees have been caught on film showing freemason hand signs - The 95 RWC final ranks as the highest and most obvious attempt at cheating There was no way SA were going to allow NZ to gate crash Nelson Mandelas reunification party - NZ were so good they had to posion almost the entire team to get a 3 point win - a Hollywood Movie ( theres your Red Flag ) was made about SAs triumph called Invictus


William Henley wrote a poem called Invictus


It starts


Out of the night that covers me BLACK ( All Blacks ) as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever GODS maybe for my unconquerable Soul ...( Olan says INVICTUS is an evil Malevolent entity who corrupted the Titans ... this is Mandelas double meaning speech ( hes a fraud ) - of thanks for helping overcome SA's adversary NZ - There is only ONE true God Yahuah - Only a false god would be complicit in Cheating Corruption and Harming others to win a RWC for a sick and sinful Nation ) the poem ends with


I am the CAPTAIN of my soul


SA will forever bear the stain of guilt and disgrace over their involvement in poisoning the ABs a day before the 95 RWC Final

12 Go to comments
C
CO 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

I cannot believe that you don't think the French rugby team coach and captain are not discussing putting Jalibert on the bench in favour of Duponts club teammate that doesn't even play at 10.


This is a terrible, massive insult to a 10 and I'm sure Dupont would also be very enraged if benched for a player that doesn't even play halfback.


A good captain would've insisted to the coach that it was an idea of madness and either select Jalibert or replace him with another 10 if you want him to be reserve.


Jalibert may not be the world's finest tacklers but that's often not a tens main strength that the loose forwards and second five cover. An intercept pass is never great but they happen.


When any player is playing for his club then it's club first, respect doesn't need to be shown to opposition players simply because they're internationals.


Who exactly are you claiming Jalibert hasn't respected? If it's Toulouse international players then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this bench demotion out.


The outcome of selecting Jalibert to the bench and he then throwing his croissants out the window of the team bus immediately prior to playing the Allblacks is a disaster that will be team disharmony as any team mates of Jalibert are in a state of anger and revolt so a performance that will be sub optimal against a team that is thirsting for revenge against France.


I don't know about you but the Allblacks are very upset they've lost twice in a row to France and want to put out a statement performance so this preparation by Galthie of creating havoc looks to me like a coach that is clueless.

92 Go to comments
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