Former All Blacks boss John Mitchell tackles accusations ABs have been spying on his England team in Tokyo
England have wished New Zealand “good luck” after suggesting they have spied on one of Eddie Jones’ training sessions. Jones was overseeing an important team run ahead of Saturday’s World Cup semi-final when an unidentified cameraman was spotted in one of the residential buildings overlooking the pitch.
England, who have Prince Harry’s former close protection officers as part of their security detail, investigated the scene at their Tokyo training base after seeing a suspicious red light. Defence coach John Mitchell pointed the finger at New Zealand but sees little value on spying on the opposition.
“If that is what they want to do, and that is the way they want to prepare, good luck to them,” the former All Blacks boss said. “We just happened to be training where there are apartments above our tiny two-metre fence was, so I am not sure about what the use of the tarpaulins are.
“The facilities have been excellent but it’s an area where people live and there is the odd red light around. There was one up in the corner, which was a bit suspicious. It doesn’t really worry me. This game is so dynamic now so I don’t see any advantage in spying on a team.
“When I took over the All Blacks in 2001 we had a manager who was highly military and he loved surveying the whole area. To me, you can get too involved in it and create an anxiety on your group. There is enough pressure at this level without chasing around some blokes that might be in a building with a camera.
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“I was with Clive Woodward when we were going for a Grand Slam against Scotland and we chased somebody from one of the papers around the corner and caught him in a hedge. He was pretty unlucky actually but that was when the game was a lot different to what it is now.
“I’ve seen coaches spy, I’ve had other coaches spy. I’ve had mates spy as well and it is, but I don’t see any advantage.”
Jones shrugged off the incident as the biggest match of his four-year reign looms. “There was definitely someone in the apartment block filming, but it might have been a Japanese fan. We don’t care, mate,” said the England boss. “We knew about it from the start, it doesn’t change anything. We love it.”
Eddie's on a mission this week #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/RTxR4UVfw5
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 22, 2019
After initially joking that England had sent someone to spy on New Zealand, Jones agreed with Mitchell that observing another team in secret no longer has any value. “I haven’t done it since 2001, used to do it. You just don’t need to do it any more, you can see everything,” Jones said.
“You can watch everyone’s training on YouTube. There’s no value in doing that sort of thing, absolutely zero. Everyone knows what everyone does there are no surprises in world rugby any more that’s the great thing about the game you just have to be good enough on the day.”
How many England players would make a combined XV with New Zealand? It's closer than you might think, according to @alexshawsporthttps://t.co/iPNlfNGxAO
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 21, 2019
New Zealand enter the match as firm favourites but Anthony Watson insists the experience of England’s contingent on the 2017 Lions tour proves they are not invincible. “Even before that tour I respected how successful the All Blacks had been for a long time but they’re humans at the end of the day,” who was part of the drawn Test series.
“There will be 23 of them and 23 of us on Saturday and they’re human beings and rugby players just like us. I believe I had that mindset before: that they were beatable. England came close to beating them in November as well.”
– Press Association
WATCH: Former England international Neil Back sits down with RugbyPass in the opening episode of Rugby World Cup Memories
Comments on RugbyPass
I’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
139 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
139 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
139 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
139 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
139 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
139 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
139 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
139 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
139 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
139 Go to commentsHo hum.
139 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
139 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to commentsLet’s be honest. The draw and scheduling in the World Cup was a joke but South Africa found a way after having to go the hard (nearly impossible) way to the Cup Final via France and England. NZ had a hard game against France (lost) and had 5 weeks to prepare for the Quarter, 3 weeks knowing it was Ireland. NZ theerfore had to win one big game against an Irish team who played SA and then Scotland 7 days before. They won and it was de facto a semi final because they were playing a relatively weak Argentina team and it was a walk over. In the final a very rested NZ team was playing a very tired SA team and still lost. They couldn’t score more than 11 points. Put another way SA had to find a way to win while tired and they achieved that. NZ should thank their lucky stars that they fixed the scheduling in 2015 otherwise they would be dealing with a Bok treble.
139 Go to commentsPerhaps if Bongi wasn’t targeted and removed from the game in the first 3 minutes it would have been quite a different game. Maybe if NZ also faced the same competition the Boks faced to their win NZ would have looked quite different. The final score shows who outplayed who.
139 Go to commentsRubbish article! Abuladze played most of Exeters matches when fit. He got injured against Glasgow a while ago and is out for the rest of the season, thats why he hasnt played for Exeter and Georgia recently. Do some proper research next time!
1 Go to commentsGotta love it when kids throw their toys out the pram and can’t hack it with the grown ups debate. Here’s looking at you turlough! 😉🤣
148 Go to commentsThey lost the game period move on
139 Go to commentsSpringboks won! Stop winging. You can change the game however much you and your rugby colonizing IRB want to and the Springboks will win you at that too. Your mind is colonized my friend get a life
139 Go to comments