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Times
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Times
John Mitchell: Leading Red Roses at World Cup is like coaching All Blacks
It ranks among the most comprehensive midweek defeats for tourists from these isles. In 1993 the British & Irish Lions had beaten New Zealand to take the series to a decider, and three days later they were thumped 38-10 in Hamilton. Among the Waikato XV that day were Ian Foster, Warren Gatland and John Mitchell. 'Antipodeans wait for the Lions,' Mitchell says. 'You just want that opportunity, and then it's a 12-year cycle as well, so that's why it's really important. When you've got confidence as a provincial side and you give yourself a chance of winning, you go for it.' A quantity surveyor at the time, he recalls the occasion: 'Three o'clock on a Tuesday afternoon, 35,000 people, probably not all of them on annual leave. Then the night we won and went into the night, I think I was driving around the Welsh president in my Ford Escort to try to find another pub. 'The next morning I had to report for work at 7.30am. I still remember my workmate, Derek Hobbs, he could see I was a little bit seedy and I had to go to the doctor for antibiotics because I think I cut my elbow open.' Fast forward 32 years and more pressing for Mitchell, 61, is the Women's Rugby World Cup in England, beginning on August 22, for which the Red Roses are favourites after a run of 55 wins in 56 Tests (the defeat being the previous World Cup final). They began their campaign on June 2 after a five-week break, starting with a first day of connection, sharing stories and photographs about the time off. Punishing fitness work from the first two camps will continue, twinned with increasing tactical work, to help deal with incidents such as the first-half red card for Lydia Thompson three years ago, en route to a fifth defeat in finals by the Black Ferns. 'If we don't create that exposure, then we're probably going to let ourselves down like the last World Cup,' Mitchell says. Mitchell has coached at several men's World Cups. In 2003 he led the All Blacks, 16 years on from their only win at the time, into the tournament. 'It does feel similar to that, but probably what's different is that I'm a little bit older and a bit more experienced,' Mitchell says. 'The young John Mitchell, he was 37 or 40 way back then, has done a few miles. I would love to have had the experience that I've got now back then. But hey, that's life, you've got to learn it. 'I've been in too many World Cups where people make it bigger than what it actually is. It's just a tournament, and it's a big tournament. Just focus on what you can control and make sure you don't get distracted by stuff from the outside world that affects the week.' More than 300,000 tickets have been sold for the tournament, more than double the record attendance in New Zealand three years ago, and Mitchell is aware of the World Cup's role in the growth of the women's game, as well as the status of the Red Roses. 'To me, it's significant; we stand for something, we've set a standard, but we also haven't won a World Cup for 11 years, so how do we get down what we haven't had for a long time?' he says. 'We mustn't have been doing something right. 'We've got an opportunity to embrace this, take it on, and create our own story that ultimately can help our girls pass on the message for a lot longer than when you come second. I guess that's the powerful opportunity while this tournament is under our watch.'
Scoop
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Cowbell-Gate And Toxic Crusaders Push Super Rugby Pacific In The Right Direction
Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final Crusaders v Chiefs Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 21 June Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch Live blog updates on RNZ Analysis: Are we finally getting there as a rugby fanbase? This week's big rugby story wasn't about injuries, selections or even the impending All Black squad announcement. No, it was about the banning of an either beloved or despised noisemaker - depending on where you're from - for Saturday night's Super Rugby Pacific grand final. The news that the Crusaders have forbidden cowbells for the game came out of nowhere on Wednesday. Well, almost nowhere, as that's the best way to describe LinkedIn. The last time the headquarters of humble bragging made rugby news was during the fallout of Ian Foster infamously ducking a press conference, but this time it was the platform Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge used to pass his heavy-handed edict on the use of cowbells at Apollo Projects Stadium. Was it a total work from the start? Given the Chiefs response was to encourage travelling fans to use a recently launched cowbell app, it certainly seems so, but it doesn't matter if Mansbridge and Chiefs counterpart Simon Graafhuis cooked this all up over a beer, because it's this sort of outside-the-box thinking rugby needs. The Blues have made a concerted effort to use their social media platforms to show a bit of attitude, while Rieko Ioane is happy enough to simply do it himself. The current environment is one that's catching up with the way things are done overseas, but also shows that things can head into that sweet spot of suspended disbelief and still generate legitimate interest. To put things in perspective, an RNZ Facebook post about the cowbell ban on Wednesday pulled in more than 10 times the number of comments than any other story that day. Why? Because it was an easy outlet to vent frustration. You didn't need to know anything about the Crusaders and Chiefs final, or even rugby, but the door was opened to have a view on a much more black-and-white issue. Because really, this was the Crusaders finally embracing the very powerful 'you might hate us, but we hate you even more' attitude, one they've unfortunately earned full right to make use of, thanks to their now extensive trophy collection. Teams don't owe each other anything on the field, so why would they off it? Admittedly, due to the wider issue of hooliganism, football's restriction makes away trips all the more intimidating nonetheless. In many countries, you have to sit in one specific part of the stadium, alcohol is prohibited, and fans aren't even allowed in certain parts of the city before and after the match. There's nothing wrong with making another team's fans feel uncomfortable. If anything, it'll force them to adapt and support their team even louder, which is what happens when you pen everyone in an away section. For far too long, rugby has used the British crutch of being a sport for the landed gentry to preclude itself from any forward-thinking marketing strategies. The irony is the cloyingly class-based restrictions being presented with a straight face, like the laughable 'respect the kicker' tradition in UK stadiums. The best part of Cowbell-gate is how it should hopefully start some serious feudalism going forward. Win or lose, the Chiefs now have the entire off season to think of a way of getting back at the Crusaders and their fans, perhaps making each one entering FMG Stadium Waikato pass an eye test or proving their family's genealogy doesn't overlap too much. If the Chiefs can pull off a win, there will be absolutely no surprises at all, if the first thing they do is pull a cowbell out and give the home fans something to listen to when they're trudging home.
The Age
12-06-2025
- Sport
- The Age
‘Bash them': The Anzac team tasked with softening up Lions for Wallabies
While no players have yet been confirmed for the 2025 AUNZ Invitation side, former All Blacks coach Ian Foster has been appointed as an assistant. And Kiss said he envisaged there being a healthy number of New Zealanders, alongside a contingent of Australian players either released from the Wallabies squad or picked from the state sides. 'I'd imagine anywhere from six to ten New Zealanders at least and the rest will be open,' Kiss said on Stan's Rugby Heaven. 'There's talk about probably making sure we have enough avenue for Wallabies players to have access to that game, particularly as it's the last major match before the Test series starts. No doubt there's going to be some moves in that area to get some players in there, to be able to give them more game time, and [give] Joe [Schmidt] and the coaching team at the Wallabies more insight to what they're looking at in terms of their players. 'Make no mistake, we want to try and get that quality in, for sure, [but] in the right positions that allow us to expose the players that we want to. We don't want to close out any opportunities for our [Australian] guys in certain positions. So, those discussions will be ongoing, and we need to be fluid right to the last minutes.' With the AUNZ game scheduled as the last tour game before the first Test in Brisbane a week later, the Lions will almost certainly deploy the first-choice team they intend to use at Suncorp Stadium. When putting the 2025 tour schedule together, the Lions management were at pains to say they didn't want to play a quasi fourth Test against an Australia 'A' side. In a hard-fought and feisty clash in 2001, an Australia A side coached by Eddie Jones rolled the Lions in Gosford, and several other tour matches also saw the Lions cop mountains of aggression and physicality from the Australian state sides. Though it may have a festival vibe, Kiss said there would be a huge intensity to the AUNZ-Lions clash and the hosts will also be looking to do their part to help the Wallabies a week later. Loading 'I think if you look at what the possibilities could be in terms of personalities in that squad, there's going to be a lot of competitive people there. They'll want to do something special themselves,' Kiss said. 'I can't see anything but a super competitive battle, really. They're going to be loaded. They're very physical, very talented right across the squad. We'll do our best to get out there and bash them, for sure. 'We want to make sure we make it an enjoyable experience, but get out there and make sure we do a job that can soften the Lions up a bit for us.'
Sydney Morning Herald
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Bash them': The Anzac team tasked with softening up Lions for Wallabies
While no players have yet been confirmed for the 2025 AUNZ Invitation side, former All Blacks coach Ian Foster has been appointed as an assistant. And Kiss said he envisaged there being a healthy number of New Zealanders, alongside a contingent of Australian players either released from the Wallabies squad or picked from the state sides. 'I'd imagine anywhere from six to ten New Zealanders at least and the rest will be open,' Kiss said on Stan's Rugby Heaven. 'There's talk about probably making sure we have enough avenue for Wallabies players to have access to that game, particularly as it's the last major match before the Test series starts. No doubt there's going to be some moves in that area to get some players in there, to be able to give them more game time, and [give] Joe [Schmidt] and the coaching team at the Wallabies more insight to what they're looking at in terms of their players. 'Make no mistake, we want to try and get that quality in, for sure, [but] in the right positions that allow us to expose the players that we want to. We don't want to close out any opportunities for our [Australian] guys in certain positions. So, those discussions will be ongoing, and we need to be fluid right to the last minutes.' With the AUNZ game scheduled as the last tour game before the first Test in Brisbane a week later, the Lions will almost certainly deploy the first-choice team they intend to use at Suncorp Stadium. When putting the 2025 tour schedule together, the Lions management were at pains to say they didn't want to play a quasi fourth Test against an Australia 'A' side. In a hard-fought and feisty clash in 2001, an Australia A side coached by Eddie Jones rolled the Lions in Gosford, and several other tour matches also saw the Lions cop mountains of aggression and physicality from the Australian state sides. Though it may have a festival vibe, Kiss said there would be a huge intensity to the AUNZ-Lions clash and the hosts will also be looking to do their part to help the Wallabies a week later. Loading 'I think if you look at what the possibilities could be in terms of personalities in that squad, there's going to be a lot of competitive people there. They'll want to do something special themselves,' Kiss said. 'I can't see anything but a super competitive battle, really. They're going to be loaded. They're very physical, very talented right across the squad. We'll do our best to get out there and bash them, for sure. 'We want to make sure we make it an enjoyable experience, but get out there and make sure we do a job that can soften the Lions up a bit for us.'
Associated Press
09-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson to step down at year's end
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson will step down at the end of the year, creating a vacancy in one of the most powerful jobs in New Zealand sport. Robinson led New Zealand's national sport for six years, through the difficult period of the pandemic when matches often took place in empty stadiums. He also has guided the sport's national governing body through difficult financial times. New Zealand Rugby has reported substantial deficits in each of the last three years. Along with many national rugby unions, New Zealand has faced increasing costs in retaining top players. The almost 20 million New Zealand dollar deficit ($10.2 million) posted by NZR in the last financial year came despite record revenues, reflecting the increasing difficulty national rugy administrators face in making ends meet. Robinson oversaw the deal in which investment company Silver Lake paid more than 200 million dollars ($120 million) for a share of NZR's commercial revenues. The deal at first was opposed by the professional players' union but later allowed NZR to financially support provincial rugby unions after the pandemic. Robinson also was party to the decision to appoint Scott Robertson as All Blacks head coach months before Ian Foster's tenure finished. Foster led the All Blacks to the final of the 2023 World Cup in which they lost by one point to South Africa. Robinson on Monday said he's leaving to join his wife and family who have relocated to Australia. 'The past six years have been a period of rapid change or unprecedented challenges through the pandemic and significant evolution across commercial, competitions and structures,' Robinson said in a statement. 'I will reflect on that as I get closer to stepping away but I firmly believe the foundations of our organization are extremely strong and the game is well-placed for the future.' Robinson succeeded Steve Tew as chief executive in 2019. He will leave prior to a reorganization which will see the incoming chief executive take charge of both New Zealand Rugby and New Zealand Rugby Commercial, the sporting and commercial parts of the game. ___ AP rugby:
