Western Force Rejects Claims Against Mitchell

[RugbyWA]

RugbyWA and the Emirates Western Force are outraged at a report which appeared in a Sydney newspaper today, suggesting Emirates Western Force head coach John Mitchell could undermine Australia’s Rugby World Cup campaign.

RugbyWA chairman Geoff Stooke stated that the report could not have been further from the truth, and that John Mitchell was fully committed to Australian rugby as well as the Emirates Western Force.

“Any suggestion that he would do anything to undermine Australia’s World Cup efforts is wrong and baseless,” Stooke said.

“Since his appointment, Mitchell has demonstrated outstanding professionalism, and to question his integrity is particularly offensive.”

The report suggested that if Mitchell did not play Matt Giteau at scrumhalf, rather than his Test position of inside centre, he would not be acting in the national interest.

It also included the fanciful suggestion that this was payback for the All Blacks losing the 2003 World Cup semi-final to Australia.

Stooke said Giteau was recruited to fill the 12 position for the Emirates Western Force, the position in which he is the incumbent in the Wallaby team.

“And on this basis, it would seem appropriate for him to play in this position in the Super 14 competition. In addition, the incumbent Wallaby scrumhalf is the Wallaby captain, George Gregan,” he said.

“Importantly, it should also be noted that Giteau’s preferred position is number 12 and he is making every effort to continue in this position in the Wallaby line-up.”

The report was also critical of Mitchell’s Kiwi heritage, and suggested it was a mistake to employ a New Zealander as coach of an Australian provincial team.

“Mitchell’s Kiwi heritage is not a concern for us and we are surprised the issue has been raised, particularly given that many of our current Wallabies have Kiwi and Islander roots. No one questions their commitment to the Wallabies and nor should Mitchell’s be in question because of his heritage,” Stooke said.

Stooke emphasized that Mitchell had the full support of the Board and Management of RugbyWA and the Emirates Western Force, both in his role as head coach and in supporting the efforts of Australian rugby.

[Darren]

I think this may be the article:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...563961,00.html
By Peter Jenkins
12oct06

FORMER New Zealand coach John Mitchell is the New Zealander who could undermine Australia's World Cup campaign if he refuses to play Matt Giteau at halfback in next year's Super 14.

That was the concern raised last night by 1991 Rugby World Cup winners David Campese and Tony Daly after Mitchell ruled out shifting Giteau from inside centre to No.9 for Western Force.

The Wallabies will trial Giteau at halfback on the European tour next month, and they may even launch the experiment in the opening Test against Wales.

But Mitchell said Australia's highest-paid player will roam the midfield for his province.

"We will certainly be playing him at No.12 so I guess that's going to create a difficulty if there is a strategy at Wallaby level," Mitchell said last month when the Giteau-for-halfback push took off:

Campese said Australian rugby could be "bitten on the bum" having allowed a foreign coach to head up an Australian province.

"He doesn't care what others say and he's probably not that concerned about whether the Wallabies win the World Cup," the wing legend said.

"He's only interested in success at the Force. He's got a job to do there and that's what counts to him.

"That's fair enough, too. But we could end up paying the price when the World Cup rolls around."

Daly, the former long-serving Australia prop, added: "He's a New Zealander and he'll do what he wants. I can understand that but it might not help the Wallabies.

"Then again, why would he want to do that? It was Australia that knocked his All Blacks out of the World Cup in 2003 and it cost him his job."

Former Wallabies captain Nick Farr-Jones described Mitchell's stance as "strange".

"He's in our country, coaching one of our provincial teams. He should be sympathetic to the national cause.

"I also realise he's got his job and his own team to look after.

"I think portraying him as a Kiwi trying to inhibit Australia winning the World Cup is pushing the barrow too far."

Mitchell dismissed the criticism last night and received support on two fronts - from former All Blacks five-eighth Grant Fox and a precedent of eight years ago.

Eddie Jones was coaching the Brumbies in 1998 when he refused a request from Australia coach Rod Macqueen to play Stephen Larkham at five-eighth in that year's Super 12.

The Wallabies were forced to select Larkham sight unseen for the season's opening Test against England.

"We are acting in the national interest by helping develop Matt Henjak and Chris O'Young as halfbacks (at the Force)," said Mitchell.

"If the Wallabies see Matt Giteau as one of the country's top two halfback next year they have (three) domestic Tests, the Tri-Nations and World Cup pool matches to play him there."

Fox said Mitchell was the ultimate professional coach.

"No way could Mitch ever be seen as a Kiwi undermining Australia," he said.

"He sees himself in the Australian rugby set-up now. When I had lunch with him recently he was talking about the Aussies and referring to 'we'. I had to remind him where he comes from.

"But at the end of the day this is about the balance of his squad for next season. He's picked his players and allocated positions.

"He will also be judged on how his team performs in Super 14, not on how many players he develops for the Wallabies."

In Australia, Super 14 coaches are appointed by the franchises who have far more autonomy than in New Zealand.

Under the Kiwi system, Super 14 coaches are contracted to the NZ Rugby Union.

If All Blacks coach Graham Henry wants a player trialled in a new position, his request is usually granted.

[GIGS20]

Man after all the work that Henjak has put in to improve after an (admittedly) ordinary transition year, he must be feeling pretty assassinated right now. If I was Mitch, I'd be keen to see how Henjak will go passing to a more familiar backline, maybe that will be exactly what he needs to get back into a Wallaby jersey, I'd have to say that Giteau playing scrumhalf would have to be an experiment since there are four starting scrumhalves and four second-string scrumhalves playing S14 for Aussie teams, Gits isn't one of them, he's also an awesome centre and has at LEAST as much impact playing there as he would playing halfback. I wonder if the NSW lobby are worried about the impact our backline is going to have next season, maybe we should consider putting Drew Mitchell into lock (apparently he's stronger now)

[Moses]

Ahh Peter Jenkins.. go back to England you tool.. and take Greg Growden with you

[James]

They bloody well talk as if Giteau is the cure the cancer and Mitch is clutching it tightly in is island "lair" (in a Doctor Evil kind of way). We haven't even seen if he is actually any good. New South Wailers! Where does Campese get off undermining Mitch when he coached the Sharks backline to take them from Wooden Spooners to almost in the Finals- promoting skills of potential Springboks.

[AlcoholicStalker]

well actually since that is where he played all his school boy rugby at St Edmunds and only made the move when he got to I believe colts level because he was suddenly playing in the same team as Henjak and Mr Fisher saw potential for him in the centres he is pretty bloody good at scrumhalf.

[Moses]

at St Edmunds didn't they have him playing scrum half but standing at fly-half anyway?

[James]

I think he'd probably be pretty damn good at scrum-half but not significantly better than Matt Henjak (when he is actually in-form) or someone like Brett Sheehan. Besides its a big difference between St. Edmunds Colts and International rugby.

[Moses]

and Giteau realised exactly how big a step up it is when he jumped Super 14 to play for Australia...

[JediKnight]

what a quality piece of gutter journalism!

[Mtbeaver]

I often think of The Australian not really being news, rather just an opinion on the actual news.

[fulvio sammut]

Quite right and very perceptive Matt, although at least one or two of their hacks show occasional independence of though, even if only a long way out from elections.
But you obviously don't read the West, young man. That piece of journalistic sewage does't even bother with actual news or truth, it just makes up what ever political line it wants you to travel on.Its journos seem to consist entirely of Piers Ackerman wannabes or actual clones.
Lets not get into politics however, just dumping on journos. Anyone heard from Rick Boyd lately?

[The Lone Hydrangea]

The Australian is a far better rugby paper than the West. Wayne Smith rugby editor for the Oz is a excellent writer. You will find that goose Growden is from the SMH.He is a complete tosser.

[dungbeetles]

Anyone else notice the crap coverage in The Australian for The Force last year? Barely a murmur until Giteau's transfer. The Friday games at 9.00pm EST probably didn't help their cause with deadlines for the Weekend edition.

[joblot]

Ahh Peter Jenkins.. go back to England you tool.. and take Greg Growden with you

Agreed. Take Nick Farr-Jones and Campo as well.