Hate can inspire England

ENGLAND defence coach John Mitchell wants his side to use anti-English sentiment to fuel them after revealing he was once spat on by a Wales fan.

The Kiwi, who rejoined the England set-up in September, was taken aback by the hatred he encountered during his first spell with the side, which culminated in the unsavoury tunnel incident at Wembley in 1999.

Wales won that game to deny England the Grand Slam and Mitchell is expecting Australia to raise their game at Twickenham on Saturday against a team they love to hate.

“I don’t think too many people like us as England, do they?” said Mitchell. “When you don’t get it right you just have to look at the gloating and satisfaction on the other side to realise how important it is.

“So you might as well get in first and get it done. I still

remember training at a university in Scotland and just the language – then at Wembley walking down the tunnel at half-time and a little bit of a goober (spit) ended up on my tracksuit.

“I remember those things and understand how important it is to win when you play for England. To have had that experience and receive the emotions that come from that on the other side, it certainly does motivate me personally.”

Saturday’s game will be the last of a disappointing 2018 for the Wallabies, having won only three Tests. But Mitchell, right, says England, ranked two places above Australia at No4, have to expect the visitors will save their best for last. “There are two forms of motivation for them – there’s the last game and they’re playing us,” he said.

“I still think there is a place for the fact you hate coming second to somebody that you dislike.”

Both sides will name their line-ups today with England coach Eddie Jones waiting until the last minute to finalise his backline. Jack Nowell missed training at Pennyhill Park yesterday so Joe Cokanasiga could feature. Manu Tuilagi’s suspect groin did allow him to train but he was put through his paces separately from the rest of the England backs. The pack will see the return of the front row that faced New Zealand ,while Sam Underhill and Brad Shields are set to reclaim their places in the back row.

Shields said: “Australia is no easy beat, and if you rock up with a mentality that you can be patchy or you can’t put in an 80-minute display then you’re going to lose.”