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There's a story from over 20 years ago, involving Grizz Wyllie, which may shed a bit of light on the drama affecting former All Black coach and Western Force coach John Mitchell in recent times.
Grizz came onto the field at halftime in the famous Ranfurly Shield match in the 1980s when Auckland won.
He walked out, looked at the team, said "F***" turned around and walked off. You'll remember Canterbury came back strongly and nearly snatched it.
Mitch - I must make clear he is a mate of mine - is cut from similar cloth. He's old school and he calls a spade a spade and then some.
I am not going to defend Mitch too much as he has already said publicly he has changed his coaching style after the Force responded to mutters of mutiny by the team by asking a retired judge to head up an inquiry - with the results yet to come.
It is also fair to say that Mitch does not always get things right - right from the first time he took over the All Blacks when the media dubbed what he was saying as "Mitch-speak". His days in the UK didn't help him and he talks in riddles or jingles sometimes. He's also the first to admit that his relationship management could use a bit of work.
However, these disputes are never one-way things and I think the players or some of the players have some blame here.
It's clear that the Force have a discipline problem. There have been problems like the punch thrown by halfback Matt Henjak that broke a team-mate's jaw last year. You just don't do that. Then there was the drama over some Force players worse for wear chucking around the little furry quaggas like they were footballs on Rottnest Island.
From what I understand, Mitch's burst at the team last season at halftime during the game against the Brumbies in Canberra also ruffled some feathers.
John Mitchell is a hard man. When he was a player, he trained harder than anyone else and he played hard too. He left it all on the field; he was like Mike Brewer - they shredded themselves out there. But he was the first to open a bottle of beer after the match and have a joke with the opposition. He likes to let his hair down or, in his case, his eyebrows...
He still believes - as do I - that there is still room in the game for a beer afterwards but he'd make sure he recuperated properly then he would punish himself to make sure he was in shape for the next game. I think some of these guys have seen Mitch having a beer and a good time and have then seen themselves and some of the fringe players punished for disciplinary reasons.
The All Blacks used to have a saying: You can go to the edge, have a look, but you never fall. Some of these Force players fell, I'd say, when it comes to broken jaws and furry animals.
The other thing is that Mitch was brought up in days when you played club rugby and provincial rugby for each other; for the camaraderie. These days they play for money. In Mitch's day, if it all got too much, you just gave up and went back to work. In professional rugby, these guys have no work to go to - and the politics are greater.
Again, I am not excusing Mitch, some of these things may be seen to be his fault and, as I say, he says he has already changed his style. I have also heard that some factions within the Force management lent their ear to the whispers of disgruntled players and that's the worst thing you can do. It creates dissension.
Mitch is a blunt, honest and forthright coach. If you were injured in one of his teams, you went into an injury group. You did an extra two hours' training to get right in the morning and an extra two hours' at night. You didn't do that for just one week, even if your injury came right. You were there for three weeks. You didn't fake injuries in John Mitchell's teams.
So it will be fascinating seeing what will happen to Mitch and how the Force fare after this saga. It could be they'll do all right. Upsets like this can work to pull a team together. We'll see.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news...0555602&pnum=0
Is this the same Richard Loe who broke Carrozza's jaw by punching him after Carrozza scored a try? The same Richard Loe that makes Richie McCaw look like a saint when it came to foul play and illegal tactics?
And he has the gall to carry on about "discipline"?
The hypocrisy of this bastard is breathtaking.
I have little doubt that the RWA selection panel would have been well aware, if not were fully briefed, on these characteristics prior to employing him and certainly prior to extending his contract.
If a dumbarse like Loe knows it then most of the Rugby inner sanctum would know it.
I don't believe that two incidents in three years indicates an underlying discipline problem in the team either, when you consider the personalities involved in each.
It is more the response from adversity that judges a team in my eye and, as with the South African Tour last season, we will see what unfolds on the field very soon.
It is more the response by the individuals involved that judges them as well than the infringement they were guilty of. Henjak was not given the opportunity, Sare is only really just back with his head in the right place (no pun intended, I mean mentally) to fully perform, Fava has departed after a fairly strong year and Brownie has manned up to his actions and become a genuine Test player.
If a Coach is guilty of their original actions then he has to be "guilty" of the following response while they are under his watch and, of the three he had the opportunity to work with, I would be surprised if all three don't end up proving better players for it.
It is good to get some further insight on Mitch though which comes from a less biased position than most who whinge because they had fallings out over AB times.
And points for: He likes to let his hair down or, in his case, his eyebrows...
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
Come on Fulvio. Richard Loe showed amazing athleticism for a prop by being the first there when Carrozza scored. We all know that he tripped on a boot lace and inadvertently fell with his forearm positioned over Carrozza’s nose while trying to balance himself.
All BS aside, Loe makes some good points about Mitchell and the way he has evolved as a coach.
I am sure Mitchell could have secured a lucrative coaching contract in the northern hemisphere but decided to take on the Force job, even though at that stage, there were not too many name players in the squad. He has surely seen the Force as an ongoing project and yes, he will hurt some player’s egos in the process. I am just glad the S14 will commence this week, and maybe journos, and others, can direct their time to writing about the games.
It has been a pretty hard off season for the Force, and now is the time for the playing group to stand up and impress their coach, and the thousands of fans, and let the coach get on with his job.
I believe Loe was his scrum coach in the 03 world cup and that lowe was captain of Waikato whilst mitchell was vice captain so they are i am sure very close.
Loe has some very interesting ideas on rugby . It is a shame his career is defined by the Elbow to Carozza's head and the eye gouging in an NPC game.
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
Pol Pot, Joe and Adolf were very caring people, just look at how much they were willing to do for the good of their people.yeah and Pol Pot had some interesting ideas on crowd control
I've been taking myself too seriously last couple of weeks too.
The Kiwi's must be crapping themselves if they think our lads are chucking quaggas around!
Quagga =
Cute furry animal...
hehe nice one... just shows how fit our force boys are!!