England Seeks Glory at the Women’s Rugby World Cup
On Saturday, the English women’s rugby team will face a crucial challenge that will define their path in the World Cup. After three years of preparation, the team will seek victory, although coach John Mitchell adopts a philosophical stance on the result.
“If it doesn’t happen, it won’t define me,” Mitchell declared, when asked if he would consider second place a failure.
John Mitchell
The English team, with a streak of 32 consecutive victories, faces Canada in the final. A defeat would revive old ghosts, recalling the previous final where a red card in the first minutes cost them the title by only three points.
Although Mitchell was not at the helm at that moment, the impact of that game still endures. His approach, based on enjoying the process and forgetting the result, has been fundamental to the team’s success. This philosophy has guided England back to the final of the most important tournament in the sport.Mitchell, 61, has learned from his past experiences. As coach of the All Blacks, he experienced the harshness of high competition. In the 2003 World Cup, the defeat against Australia in the semi-finals cost him his position. Mitchell acknowledges having made mistakes, such as excluding the legendary Christian Cullen from the team, and learned to focus less on the result.After 2003, Mitchell worked in several countries, including South Africa and the United States, before returning to England in 2018 as part of Eddie Jones’ coaching staff. In 2023, he took over as coach of the Red Roses, facing initial questions about his experience in women’s rugby. However, with three decades in the world of coaching, Mitchell has demonstrated his ability to adapt.
Mitchell emphasizes the importance of connecting with the players, building trust, and effective communication, fundamental aspects regardless of gender. “Trust is never a given, is it? And it can be lost very quickly.”
Training a team as successful as the Red Roses presents a unique challenge. For the outside world, any result other than victory against Canada on Saturday will be considered a failure. England, with greater resources than other nations, has been the favorite since losing the 2022 final.
“We really like to win and we are not willing to give that up. So we are very careful to stay away from any language that tempts you towards the risk of failure,” Mitchell said.
1:33How John Mitchell helped England reach their 7th-straight WRWC finalEngland head coach John Mitchell explains how he gained the trust of his squad ahead of their Rugby World Cup final vs. Canada.Mitchell has managed to get his players to focus on enjoying the process. “We have a new way of playing, we have a different vision and it is not driven by the result,” he explains. “It’s about having a really enjoyable and phenomenal experience. And as a result of that, that driver supports the ‘me’ drivers. We focus a lot on that. So, winning doesn’t really define us. It’s more about how we behave, how we show courage in what we do.”Mitchell focuses on the individual growth of his players and on collective achievement. Although Saturday’s result will define his time with the English national team, Mitchell prioritizes enjoying the process and the potential of his players.
