Appoint an Aussie: Mitchell
Appoint an Aussie: Mitchell
Rupert Guinness | August 25, 2007
AN AUSTRALIAN should be appointed as the next Wallabies coach, says former New Zealand coach John Mitchell, despite his close friend and 2003 All Blacks assistant Robbie Deans being a favourite for the job.
Mitchell said he believed non-Australians might work as Wallabies assistant coaches, but ruled himself out of pushing for such a role until after 2011, when his Western Force contract expired.
He said the only way he would consider such a role - like the one he had under English coach Clive Woodward before his All Blacks tenure - would be if he could keep his Force job and Australian rugby was stable.
"I firmly believe that the national coach should still be Australian, but it doesn't stop a non-national working with Australia and trying to create possibly the best three people," Mitchell said. "There was an English culture that was important to English rugby [when I coached there], so I don't see the situation in Australia any different.
"For me to ever get back involved in Test rugby there would have to be unity and integration coming from the top. I will commit myself to the Western Force for the next four years, which is through to 2011.
"I really don't see myself getting involved in international rugby until … I have a look at it again after 2011.
"[Also] I will never want to relinquish my Western Force job if the opportunity came earlier. I have no qualms getting into a quality group of coaches, but I have no aspirations currently of being a head coach."
Mitchell revealed that he had not discussed the Wallabies coaching role with Deans, saying: "I send him a cheeky text message now and again. He just tells me to bugger off. He keeps things close to his chest, Rob."
He said his main focus was now beyond helping the Force win the Super 14 title - he also wants to get more Perth-based players into the Wallabies.
