It may come as some surprise to hear it has taken a New Zealander to hammer home just how much England hate losing to “disliked” Australia this week. John Mitchell, the defence coach, has only been in the role a couple of months but has called on England to recognise there is universal animosity towards them and create an us-versus-them mentality as they seek a sixth straight win against the Wallabies under Eddie Jones. “I still think there’s a place for you to realise how much it means and the fact you hate coming second to somebody that you dislike,” said Mitchell.
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This is, of course, Mitchell’s second spell working for the Rugby Football Union and he remembers vividly the hostility shown towards England when he was Sir Clive Woodward’s forwards coach in the late 90s, including being spat on during the 1999 defeat by Wales at Wembley and the verbal abuse aimed at the squad in Scotland ahead of a Calcutta Cup match. “I still remember training at a university in Scotland and … just the language,” he added. “At Wembley, walking down the tunnel at half-time, and a little bit of a goober ended up on my tracksuit. To have had that experience and receive the emotions that come from that on the other side, it certainly does motivate me personally.”
Of little surprise, meanwhile, is the fact that Will Carling has played an increasingly significant role within the England camp this week. Recruited by Jones to develop leadership within his squad, Carling brought a certain cockiness to his captaincy and has history with the Wallabies after England’s defeat in the 1991 World Cup final. Mitchell revealed he has spoken to Carling this week about the rivalry.
“I don’t think too many people like us as England, do they? It’s important to understand that and realise we can actually reverse that as well in terms of our own thinking. Because when you don’t get it right you just have to look at the satisfaction and the gloating on the other side to realise how important it is. So you might as well get in first and get it done.”
Mitchell’s is not the only Kiwi accent in the English dressing room but just as Brad Shields, Dylan Hartley and Ben Te’o now pledge allegiance to the Red Rose, so the defence coach has revealed his emotional ties with Twickenham. “When I walked back into the English changing room before the South Africa game it had been 18 years since I’d been in that room,” he said. “I was quite overwhelmed; immediately I had an emotional connection.”
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Shields, too, is beginning to feel at home in south-west London having started against both South Africa and the All Blacks this autumn. The latter was arguably his best performance for England to date, as was recognised by the home crowd when he made way during the second half. “It has been a pretty radical journey so far and things have happened pretty quickly,” he said. “During the summer series I remember a couple of questions came up about playing the All Blacks – that’s been and gone now. [Twickenham] is like a fortress, it’s your home, that’s what it feels like.”
England may dislike Australia but they are not underestimating Michael Cheika’s side, who have lost four of their 12 matches this year. And, like Jones earlier this week, Mitchell suggested that doubts over the fitness of their influential flanker David Pocock are a ruse designed to knock England out of their stride. Mitchell added: “We’re not reading too much into David Pocock’s injury stuff, it could be a play from them to get us to take our eye off the ball. Nothing changes, we expect him to be there on Saturday.
“They’re a rugby nation in a sporting nation. They just need a small opening of light, a small opening of hope and they find a way. They’re competitive in that challenge. There’s a World Cup around the corner and they always turn up at a World Cup because it’s a smaller tournament, there’s less distance and less rugby for them to play. As you can see from their results at the World Cup, they’ve always been an extremely dangerous and competitive and successful opponent.”