John Mitchell and the Boks???

[RugbyReg]

How we all feel about this?

Is Ella jumping at shadows or is this just plain wrong?

I think it is a massive error in judgement by Mitchell.

Former Wallabies captain Mark Ella has questioned Western Force coach John Mitchell's role in handing out South Africa's jerseys prior to the Tri Nations Test in Perth last Saturday.

Springboks winger Bryan Habana revealed after South Africa's 32-25 win against Australia that Mitchell had presented the jerseys to the players on the Friday.

According to Habana, Mitchell's "stern words" had motivated them so much they wanted to go out and play that day.

Mitchell is not an ARU employee, but there is a view that Australia's Super 14 coaches should be dedicated to the Wallabies as they develop players for the national team.

The Wallabies squad included six players -- James O'Connor, Ryan Cross, Matt Giteau, Richard Brown, David Pocock and Drew Mitchell -- who Mitchell coached at the Force this year.

On the day Mitchell handed out the jerseys, the Force also announced that Wallabies assistant coach Richard Graham would work with the Perth-based team in next year's Super 14 series.

Mitchell and the Force are forging closer ties with South African rugby, but Ella said it was inappropriate for Mitchell to be supporting the Springboks before a Test against the Wallabies, particularly in Perth.

"I was surprised to hear John Mitchell had presented the Springboks jerseys," Ella said.

"He has a responsibility to develop Australian rugby and his total allegiance should be with the Wallabies."

While Mitchell's actions raise the question of divided loyalties, the Force supported his involvement with the Springboks.

Force chief executive Vern Reid said Rugby WA gave Mitchell permission to hand out the Springbok jerseys on the proviso he received the approval of Wallabies coach Robbie Deans, who was once Mitchell's assistant coach for New Zealand.

"My view is that it is an honour to present an international team's jumper," Reid said.

"John asked me for permission. I said it was fine as long as he asked Robbie Deans and he was happy.

"No team wins a game because of a two-minute speech a day before a Test.

"It's a brick in the wall, but it doesn't turn victory into losing and a loss into victory."

Deans confirmed on Monday he was made aware of Mitchell presenting the Springbok jerseys. The jersey presentation concept was introduced to Australian rugby by World Cup-winning coach Rod Macqueen in 1999 to provide a source of motivation for the Wallabies.

The innovative Macqueen never did anything unless he thought it would give the Wallabies a competitive edge. There was a reason behind everything the Wallabies did under Macqueen, who believed that the smallest things added up.

But former Wallabies captains Simon Poidevin and Andrew Slack supported Mitchell's right to hand out the jerseys.

"I don't see a problem with that," said Poidevin, who is co-president of the Classic Wallabies.

"It's not as though John Mitchell is part of the Wallabies coaching staff.

"I think the Springboks should do whatever they want to do. The Springboks have recognised what John Mitchell has done for the game. I don't think they need anyone to motivate them."

 

[mark_s]

Definitely an error of judgement, although no bigger than the ARU's decision to play this game in Perth in the 1st place.

 

[fatprop]

The Boks would have struggled to get anything useful from cliche boy, the Boks were probably playing bullshit bingo.

 

[rugbywhisperer]

Definitely an error of judgement, although no bigger than the ARU's decision to play this game in Perth in the 1st place.

Yeah - maybe a bit of bad judgement and conflict but then again - have Aus rugby been totally innocent WRT bad judgements either - agree it could be argued that Perth is more of a home town advantage to the Boks due the HUGE SAffer population there than it was to the Aussies.

For me so what - it just shows the respect they have for one of our coaches that apparently we don't

 

[louie]

bit wrong really. even as a NZer he shouldn't have been helping them.

 

[Newb]

in case anyone hasn't seen the quotes of his speech...

Mitchell gets pep-talk honour from Boks
by Ken Borland | 28 August 2009 (12:38)

Western Force and former All Blacks coach John Mitchell has the sort of brooding, menacing look that suggests he is used to tearing strips off players in the changerooms, or shed as it is known in these parts.

But on Friday the shaven-headed Mitchell was given the singular honour of presenting the Springboks with their jerseys and instead gave the world champions a motivational speech that revealed the high esteem in which John Smit's men are held in Australia and New Zealand.

"There are never enough minutes in the Springbok jumper and I am sure you won't take it for granted. This jumper has been filled by great and much talent. These days you can buy talent and it is cheap. But one thing you can never buy is attitude. Only you can bring attitude to the jumper and change attitude in a game," Mitchell told the Springboks.

The former All Black eighthman said the Springboks had, as a group, earned enormous respect from their opponents.

"You have what they want, don't give it to them. Don't make life difficult for yourselves, you have to meet Australia with confrontation tomorrow night. Turn the confidence you have into self-belief."

Mitchell said there would be no easy way to victory for the Springboks, despite all they have achieved in the past.

"You must be ambitious and that means you have to build pressure. You will have to be prepared to go the full 80 minutes," Mitchell said.

There will no doubt be some eyebrows raised at the choice of Mitchell - a New Zealander coaching in Australia - to hand out the Springbok jerseys, but the South African management decided to call on the 45-year-old because of his credentials in the game and the fact he is a good friend of the coaching team of Peter de Villiers, Gary Gold and Dick Muir.

fairly run-of-the-mill pump up banter. but you'd think he could have been more general instead of obviously noting the wallabies/australia -- such as opponent, adversary, door mats. you know, play with heart, desire, blah blah blah. without being anti-aussie. not so smart...

plus what does he mean you can buy talent??? like on the internets? where? sign me up.

you can pay for instruction and training? you can be genetically altered as an embryo to have superhuman powers?

i have no idea :nta:

 

[PaarlBok]

Funnily when I put this on at TSF there were Saffers critizing just this. Myself think it was a good thing and exactly a out of the box thing by Snor and the coaching staff.

I cant confirm this and only say it on my own but Mitchell spend a fair bit with the Sharks recently and I wont be surprise to see his next move to SA.