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Former England flyhalf gives scathing review of John Mitchell's appointment

By Online Editors
New England defence coach John Mitchell. Getty Images/David Rogers

Former England flyhalf Stuart Barnes doesn’t believe John Mitchell is the right man to help Eddie Jones’ England side.

The former All Blacks coach joins Jones’ staff as his new defence coach, and Barnes struggles to see where Mitchell will make an impact.

“John Mitchell has experience. I’ll give him that. However, there is not much else in his CV to recommend him,” Barnes wrote in his column for The Times.

“There is the small matter of his never having been a defence coach. But we can override that because, as a head coach, he’ll surely have a decent understanding of all the game’s aspects.”

Mitchell is coming off a disastrous campaign with the Bulls in Super Rugby, where the side conceded 509 points – second most in the competition.

This is Mitchell’s second stint with the English national side. He was forwards coach from 1997 to 2000 before heading back to New Zealand and eventually taking over the All Blacks in 2001.

“His moment to reach for the stars was, without argument, in 2003. The All Blacks, coached by Mitchell, faced Australia, coached by none other than Eddie Jones, in a World Cup semifinal in Sydney. Australia beat New Zealand 22-10.”

Barnes also asked about Mitchell’s unwillingness to base himself in England full time.

“Jones must be mightily impressed to allow a defence coach to live in a different continent. Usually, he wants his regular coaches living in his pocket. It is an astounding concession to make.

“Mitchell is not an inveterate winner. He is not prepared to live in England. He endured a miserable season as far as the Blue Bulls defence was concerned. And he is not a defensive specialist.”

Mitchell responded to the criticism in an interview with The Daily Mail.

“People make mistakes and I have,” Mitchell said. “But there has been success as well. At least I had a good look in the mirror and said that I wanted to get better.”

“I will not shy away from having a strong methodology,” he continued. “The lessons I have experienced will hold me in good stead.”

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“I am back coaching at international level and you cannot put a currency on the development I am gaining.”

England will next play in early November when they host South Africa, New Zealand, Japan and Australia in consecutive weeks.

In other news:

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Bull Shark 1 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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