Ex-coach’s visit revives old ghost
A ghost of the All Blacks’ past followed them last week in South Africa, dredging up a host of forgotten memories that would ideally have best been left forgotten.
Former coach John Mitchell, whose book Mitch: The Real Story is ready to hit the shelves, has decided 11 years after he was usurped from his post to give his version of events in the wake of the 2003 World Cup exit.
It’s so long after the fact, it would hardly seem to matter now.
Few would have disputed he was treated harshly when his performance as coach was publicly criticised by his employer. He got a rough deal but in the 11 years since he was dumped, the All Blacks have become an infinitely better organisation and, to a certain extent, the end has justified the means.
Mitchell’s book will serve just one purpose: Highlight how far the All Blacks have progressed.
They are more professional now in every sense. Much of the worst aspects of the amateur era were preserved and possibly even enhanced during Mitchell’s tenure between 2001 and 2003.
Whether it’s fair to say there was a booze culture is debatable, but there was certainly a willingness to maintain such things as court sessions and have sanctioned nights of excess alcohol intake.
The players of that era worked hard, but not as they do now. There is a culture of self-improvement within the All Blacks that there wasn’t in Mitchell’s time.
The cynics can mock the ‘better people make better All Blacks’ mantra of the last decade and find plenty of examples to shoot it down. But incidents such as Aaron Cruden missing his flight become such major news agendas exactly because they are so rare.
In 11 years, the All Blacks have been transformed.
There is no separation of function as there was then. Being an All Black is a 24/7 operation; the same levels of professionalism and focus are expected on and off the field. Sponsor, media and fan obligations are just as big a part for the modern All Blacks as training and playing.
Which they never were in Mitchell’s day — and perhaps that was the most ironic thing about the past week.
Mitchell, who now lives in South Africa, was across the news all week. His book was one aspect, the other that he is favourite to succeed Jake White as coach of the Sharks.
But there was one more way in which he cast a shadow — and that was as a corporate guest of team sponsor AIG at All Black training.
Mitchell, who was famously accused by former New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Chris Moller of falling short on his dealings with sponsors while he was All Black coach, appeared to be more than happy to be AIG’s guest.
The man who had never wanted much to do with anything corporate was at training to explain to the sponsor’s guests what they were watching and why the All Blacks were doing what they were doing.
That was the final piece of evidence that the All Blacks are in a better place now. When Mitchell needed to care about sponsors, he didn’t. When he was no doubt paid to care this week ...