Mitchell’s departure gives RFU elbow room

JOHN Mitchell’s decision to leave the England coaching crew assembled by Eddie Jones continues a churn of personnel that has characterised Jones’ tenure in charge.

The former All Black coach’s departure to join Lee Blackett at Wasps next season leaves Jones short-staffed two years before the 2023 World Cup, with scrum coach Matt Proudfoot the last man standing. The list of Jones’ assistants who have headed for the departure lounge over the last six years is starting to mount up. Along with Mitchell, it includes Steve Borthwick, Paul Gustard, Glen Ella, Neal Hatley, Scott Wisemantel, Simon Amor, Jason Ryles, Rory Teague, and Sam Vesty. However, it is unlikely Jones will have a threadbare coaching set-up for too much longer. Former Wales wing Mark Jones is being touted as a new defence coach after a stint in New Zealand working alongside Scott Robertson at the Crusaders. The impediment is that Jones recently signed a threeyear deal with Worcester.

The England head coach also brought in promising English coaches Alex Codling and Ed Robinson to bolster his tracksuit team during the summer matches against the USA and Canada. Even so, there is no sign yet of a replacement with the experience of Mitchell.

If Fast Eddie wants his crew to be working like clockwork with his squad in the run-up the 2023 World Cup he has to get cracking. There is also the issue of the RFU preparing for life after Jones – which means chief executive Bill Sweeney presenting Jones with a shortlist of deputy head coach contenders, and persuading him to work with one of them.