Women’s Rugby World Cup final: The coach behind Red Roses’ success
On Saturday, a question three years in the making will be answered. England will win the Women’s Rugby World Cup, or they will fail again.
“If it doesn’t happen, it’s not going to define me.” That was head coach John Mitchell’s response when asked by ASL if he would see second place as a failure.
For a side that has won 32 straight matches going in to Saturday’s final against Canada, falling at the final hurdle again would see the painful re-opening old wounds. England have been here before — they reached the last Women’s Rugby World Cup final, only to see a red card after 18 minutes and lose by three points.
Mitchell wasn’t in charge on that day, but the effect of that game still lingers. Maybe it adds more pressure this weekend.
But, just because this final might not define him, it doesn’t mean Mitchell doesn’t care. The 61-year-old’s philosophy has been essential to England’s success. Succinctly, you can sum that up as: Enjoy the process and forget the outcome.
It has helped guide England back to the biggest game in the sport. It has also been a cornerstone of his development as a coach.
See, it was his obsession with winning that he believes was his downfall earlier in his career. As coach of the All Blacks, Mitchell discovered how brutal it can be at the top.
New Zealand were bundled out of the 2003 World Cup by Australia in the semifinals, and Mitchell was let go following the tournament. There were mistakes along the way, of course. Things he might change if given a second chance.
People still talk about his axing of legend Christian Cullen from the squad. It was a tough period for both the coach and New Zealand Rugby. As a young coach, just 37 when he took on the biggest job in rugby, he says it was the desire to prove others wrong and show he could win that was his undoing.
Too focused on the outcome.
After 2003, Mitchell travelled around the globe, from South Africa to the United States, taking on various jobs with varying success.
He was thrust back into the English spotlight in 2018 — having previously been in the set up in 2000 under Clive Woodward — when he joined Eddie Jones’ coaching staff.
