He is one of the most highly regarded coaches in international rugby, but also one of the most controversial. Now you can read why …
John Mitchell's rugby-coaching career spans many years, several teams and various countries. He was assistant to Clive Woodward, who spearheaded England's 2003 World Cup–winning campaign, for four years in the pioneering days of professional rugby coaching, and he took charge of the All Blacks and the Chiefs in New Zealand, the Western Force in Australia and the Lions in South Africa. Indisputably one of the most experienced coaches on the circuit, he has arguably also been one of the most controversial. For although he made a success of all his tenures, he has challenged the structures and powers-that be, resulting in several premature departures. This book reveals why, and also why Mitchell has successfully defended every disciplinary hearing he has been subjected to.
For the first time, the rugby public will learn the truth behind the newspaper headlines: from his painful axing as All Black coach to his fall-out with the Western Force and his disciplinary hearing at the Lions, whom he had guided to a Currie Cup trophy, Mitchell sets out the reasons for his successes as well as his failures, and gives his opinion on what the future holds for South African rugby.
