EXCLUSIVE: Ex-All Black coach believes England's 'brutal' SA tour is fatally flawed
Former All Black coach John Mitchell believes England’s bid for a test series triumph in South Africa is fatally flawed because two tests are at altitude, starting at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The second test then takes place in Bloemfontein with the final match at sea level in Cape Town. Mitchell is now coaching the Pretoria based Bulls Super Rugby franchise and is acutely aware of the issues surrounding rugby at altitude in South Africa.
Head coach Eddie Jones is trying to negate the problem by flying his England players to Johannesburg (5,750 feet ), Bloemfontein (4,600 feet )and Cape Town a day ahead of each test and then return to their Durban coastal base. England have not won a Test in South Africa since the two teams clashed in the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein in 2000.
Mitchell expects a “brutal” test series between two teams desperate for success with the Boks losing to Wales last weekend in the first game under new coach Rassie Erasmus and England having lost three successive Six Nations matches plus a defeat to the Barbarians. Mitchell, the former All Blacks, USA and England coach, said: “I think the Springboks have the ability to win the series and I say that because two of the tests are at altitude. If all three were at sea level the I would have a different view because there is an altitude factor here.
“The altitude will have an effect on the England players and there is game fatigue. However, England’s training will be helped by being at sea level rather than having to have shorter sessions in Johannesburg and Bloemfontein. It will be a brutal series and it will be about seeing who is prepared to stay in the fight.
“The Boks will create better structure and decision making having had that game against Wales, but they won’t stray away from pressure rugby. The way the game is being played suits he Boks and they will get better as this series progresses.
“This is going to be a good series between two very good coaches and while England have the experience and it will come down to who is the more confident and tactically astute. The breakdown could be a problem again for England and it depends on what defensive system the Boks employ and how many they put into the breakdown. That was a crack that appeared in the England team in the Six Nations and there will be some strategy around that in this series.
“Eddie is a fantastic example of a coach and he has gone away and learnt after being dealt blows and come back with better models.
“He took Australia to the World Cup final in 2003 and was helping South Africa when they won it four years later and has now regenerated England. He will continue to strive to see where he can get marginal gains heading into next year’s World Cup in Japan.”
Scrumhalf Ben Youngs, one of four members of the England squad who lost to the Springboks at Ellis Park in 2012 is aware of the debilitating conditions on the High Veld and said; “The altitude is what you want to make of it and if you get it in your head that it’ll make a massive difference then your body will react to what your head is telling you.
“You have so many sports scientists that they do everything to make sure it has a smaller effect than it used to.”
Erasmus us under fire following the loss to Wales in Washington but is hoping England are also feeling they on trial. He is surprised that England are staying in Durban and said: “I am surprised that when they (England) could have had the benefit of staying here (Johannesburg) for a week, they have stayed in Durban.”
“It’s going to be interesting. Maybe they’ve got other plans of how to tackle the altitude, but normally it catches up with you when you don’t stay at altitude. England have lost four in a row, so they are under pressure, too.
“The heat is on us, as it is on them. This series will see two countries that are desperate come up against each other. The first Test at Ellis Park will be a massive game.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Always reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
1 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
4 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
4 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to comments