John Mitchel quits Force

[CunnamullaFulla]

You don't have to look to far to the east (well Victoria) to find a coach who had nothing and won and is now giving it a go second time round. Mitchell has been a disappointment for the Force and really should have achieved more considering he was given a blank canvas to start with. Thank you Mr Mitchell, good luck in SA

I'll guarantee he does very little with the Vics.
Ifyou look at the original Brumbies playing roster and then compare it with The Force, you'll nte a few differences
If you look at the junior and club competitons you'll notice some differences.

A remarkable job JM.

---------- Post added at 21:26 ---------- Previous post was at 21:24 ----------

I wonder who they are going to lineup as an assistant coach?

I've had an offer

[travelling_gerry]

One door closes, another opens for John Mitchell

* Wayne Smith
* From: The Australian
* September 03, 2010 12:00AM



THE first chapter in the history of the Western Force has closed with John Mitchell's decision to coach the South African Super 15 team, the Lions, but that opens the door on some intriguing possibilities on the Wallabies coaching staff.

Mitchell, who recruited and built the Force team from scratch in 2005 for its entry into the Super 14 competition the following year, confirmed yesterday he has asked for and been granted a release from the final season of his contract to allow him to join the Johannesburg-based Lions.

The former All Blacks coach, who has been coaching the Golden Lions Currie Cup team on loan from the Force in recent months, has signed on for three years although there is a clause in his contract giving him the option of a fourth year.

Mitchell's departure means that his present assistant, Wallabies skills coach Richard Graham, who already had been anointed to take over from him in 2012, will step into the head coaching role 12 months earlier.

Graham was not available for comment yesterday but the clear expectation in the west is that he will stand down from his position with the Wallabies at the end of the Tri-Nations on September 11 to concentrate on the Force's pre-season build-up.

The question is who, if anyone, will take Graham's place on the Wallabies staff for the tour in October-November and next year's Tri-Nations, the only remaining Tests for Australia before the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

While the ARU is understandably reluctant to dump Robbie Deans as head coach so late in this World Cup cycle, Graham's anticipated move back to the Force provides an opening for the appointment of a defence coach, a kicking coach or possibly even a heavyweight senior coach to provide Deans with the sort of intellectual back-up All Blacks coach Graham Henry receives from Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen.

Mitchell, speaking to The Australian from Johannesburg yesterday, said he had great faith in Graham's ability to fly solo.

"He has had UK experience, experience as my assistant at the Force and now he is involved as a coach at Test level with the Wallabies," Mitchell said.

"Clearly I have a lot of faith in him. He is very capable."

Under Mitchell, the Force won 24 of 65 matches, with four draws. While the widespread perception is that the side began to disintegrate when a players' revolt against him broke out in 2008, Mitchell insisted that was not the real cause.

"If there was one point where we lost momentum, it was when the club allied itself so closely to a particular company," said Mitchell, clearly referring to the Firepower imbroglio. "Seven players suffered, as did the entire club. That was something I couldn't control, but you take the brunt of it. Until then, we were developing momentum."

Indeed, after finishing last in its debut season, the Force stormed up to seventh in 2007 but, as player disgruntlement set in as third party agreements were not honoured, momentum stalled.

After finishing eighth in 2008 and 2009 with Matt Giteau at the helm, the Force, massively hit by injuries, plummeted to 13th this year.

Ironically, the only team to finish below them was the Lions, who failed to win a match.

"It's a massive job," Mitchell said of his move to the Lions. "But it's something I don't fear. In many ways it's not dissimilar to starting with the Force. The difference is that they have a huge talent base to draw on."

It is understood South Africa captain John Smit and fellow Springbok JP Pietersen have indicated they would join the Lions if Mitchell was recruited.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225913540795

[farva]

It is understood South Africa captain John Smit and fellow Springbok JP Pietersen have indicated they would join the Lions if Mitchell was recruited.

Ive heard rumours of quite a few players heading to the Lions this coming year. The Du Plessis brothers for instance, Butch James as well.

Transvaal were a provincial rugby powerhouse around the time that rugby went pro, so there is no reason why they shouldn't be again. They have the funding and the juniors to do it.

[Burgs]

If the Lions could get half their origin players back they would be at the top of the log, though I guess the same argument could be used for the Reds and Tahs.

[shasta]

"and ask for backpay of his holday pay"
Wonder what Union reps Rugby Coaches...

Probably just has a manager. Or maybe he belongs to a coaches' association,, or similar, if one exists. That's what sportsmen, business operators, doctors, miners, primary producers, et al, call their unions when they don't actually want them to be thought of as a union.

Except, of course, for those cattlemen who broke away from their association in 1976 and formed a Union. Possibly in protest at the sacking of Gough a few months earlier?

Just kiddin'.