John Mitchell: Ireland 'are the best team in the world'

Ireland have been declared as the best team in world rugby by England defence coach John Mitchell.
Mitchell's claim comes less than a week out from the two nation's blockbuster Six Nations clash in Dublin this week.
The 54-year-old, whose extensive coaching career has seen him take charge of the likes of the Bulls, Chiefs, London Irish, Sale Sharks, USA and New Zealand, told the Irish Times that Ireland represent a monumental challenge in England's challenge for the Six Nations title.
"It's our aim to win the Six Nations, but first up is Ireland and arguably they are the best team in the world," he said.
"If you're going to play the best team in the world, you might as well get into them straight away.
"They've deserved all the honours that came their way in 2018. Having them first up makes the challenge even more exciting."
Ireland are coming into the 2019 Six Nations campaign as reigning champions after claiming their third-ever Grand Slam title last year.
Joe Schmidt's side then went on to beat the Wallabies in a three-match series in Australia, before dispatching the All Blacks for the first time on home soil.
Their success has garnered worldwide attention, with many now considering the world's second-ranked team to be the best side on the planet.
Mitchell is one of Ireland's many admirers, but he is determined to not be overawed by their incline in fortunes.
"It’s a challenge that you don’t over-think, instead you walk towards it and embrace it," he said.
“It’s always been tough playing there, but it’s even harder now because they’re a well coached side. They’re very consistent and have a process they’re very confident in.”
England are set to name their side for this weekend's match on Thursday, and will be without the services of loose forward Jack Clifford, who has returned home after sustaining a head injury in training.
Fellow loose forward Brad Shields and winger Joe Cokanaisga are also injury doubts for this weekend's clash, but star playmaker and captain Owen Farrell is expected to return to the side after undergoing thumb surgery.
Rugby World Cup city guide - Kumamoto:
Latest Comments
Two 40 year old coaches, two 50 year old coaches and two 60 year old coaches can all have vastly different levels of experience. That should be idiot-proof. If you still can’t understand how or why age and experience are NOT conflated, then that’s entirely on you.
You could perhaps google the term paradox?
I’ll give you a hint; the most successful manager in English soccer attained 90% of his trophy haul in an era that had unregulated spending…
Go to commentsREACH OUT TO TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY FOR A GREAT JOB
WhatsApp +15617263697
Fine wine and crypto do not always blend well, especially after a few drinks. I learned this the hard way after a record harvest at my vineyard. Swirling an old Cabernet under the stars, I was a financial connoisseur, my $720,000 Bitcoin wallet aging well for future returns. But the next morning, with a hangover as intense as my Merlion, I realized I'd forgotten my wallet password. Even worse, my recovery phrase, which I'd written down in my wine cellar notebook, had vanished. My eager new assistant had tidied up, mistaking my scribbled security notes for wine tasting spillage, and donated the entire book to the recycling gods. I dove into the garbage cans like a desperate sommelier searching for a quality grape but came up with broken dreams and soggy cardboard. Panic set in faster than cork taint. I faced the bitter truth: my digital fortune was bottled up tighter than a corked bottle with no opener. I sank into denial, questioning whether my future vineyard expansion would now be reduced to selling boxed wine. I panicked, pored over industry publications, and came across a wine industry newsletter that mentioned Tech Cyber Force Recovery. Their slogan, something playful about "decanting lost crypto," seemed like a sign from God. I contacted them, half-expecting snobbery or skepticism. What I received instead were tech wizards who tackled my case with humor and precision. Their team labored over my case like veteran sommeliers dissecting terroir. They painstakingly reconstructed transaction flows, timestamp records, and subtle wallet behavior. It was as if I was watching wine connoisseurs sniff out hints of blackcurrant and oak, but with algorithms and blockchain forensics. Each day, they provided updates with the finesse of tasting notes. “We’re detecting progress, notes of potential access, hints of password recovery on the finish.” Their creativity lightened my anxiety, and ten days later, they uncorked my digital vault. When I saw my Bitcoin balance restored, I nearly opened a bottle of my best vintage at 9 AM. My assistant and I shared a hearty laugh; he's still working for me, but now he labels my ledgers with "DO NOT TOUCH" in bold. My wine business is thriving thanks to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, and I have a new rule: passwords before Pinot. Cheers to their genius!
Go to comments