Herewith the questions and answers Mitch kindly provided during a 2-hour interview which have been edited for brevity for publication.

6 years - early years was living through COVID but managed to meet loads of people in the neighbourhood. Friendly welcoming inclusive neighbourhood

Why did you choose Brookwood?

• Transport links
• Pet friendly
• Pennyhill Park nearby (England training HQ)
• Near London

Mum was a very good sportsperson and played for the North Island basketball team and coached Vanguards to a New Zealand Marching Championship. I had to decide whether to play basketball or rugby professionally when I finished school at the Francis Douglas Memorial College in New Zealand and after making that decision it seemed like a natural trajectory to go into coaching after my being the successful captain of the Waikato rugby team for a good stretch.

I had a moment of profound enlightenment when I was invited by a lady, who was a company executive in developing leadership in Hamilton, New Zealand to a meeting as she had spotted that I had leadership skills during my Waikato career. She asked about what I wanted to achieve and I replied, “Do you mean as a player yes. She regarded my response of my wish to just play an All Black trial only was self-limiting. She wanted to know what my landing and end point would be and I realised at that moment it was to assist people reach their full potential.

My starting point with coaching was with my playing club called the Fraser-Tech rugby club in Hamilton and that was with my very good friend Les Harrison. I spent 2 years coaching them with back row knowledge and had to learn the skillset and decision-making contexts of the half-backs, three-quarter backs, wings and full back as I had only ever played as a number 8 in the forwards.

Following coaching the All-Blacks for the 2003 World Cup and following club coaching positions I became the defence coach for the England men’s team in 2019. I was interviewed for the England head coach position for the England women’s rugby team in March 2023 following the men’s World Cup in Japan where I was the Japan’s defence coach. I completed a very thorough process and was appointed as the England women’s rugby head coach position in May 2023.

Glenn Ross - New Zealand rugby coach who has coached several teams, including Waikato, Otago Highlanders, Connacht, and Sale Sharks. I learnt planning and management skills from Glenn.

Kevin Greene - A successful senior club coach with Fraser-Tech, Kevin Greene became Waikato Selector in 1992 and won both the inaugural National Provincial First Division Championship and Ranfurly Shield during his term. After coaching in Scotland, he became Assistant Coach of the New Zealand Chiefs Super 12 side in 2001. Kevin was a great coach and very good with people.

Laurie Mains - Laurie’s coaching career started with Otago, whom he coached for eight years. He was appointed All Blacks coach in 1992, and coached them to the 1995 Rugby World Cup final; where they lost to South Africa.

Absolutely delighted for the girls who played in the final and for all the non-playing members and a sense of real personal fulfilment based on my strong wish to enable everyone to reach their full potential.

In my playing days - doing the vacuuming and eating a sandwich.

In my coaching days - good sleep, exercise, drinking coffee and cold water.

Just sorting out a compelling vision now... It seems a very worthwhile goal and that is to be the first England Women’s team to win back-to-back World Cups.

To do this I will need to understand each of the girls "why" and where their focus will be, what their passion is for it, there willingness to manage the adversity that will come with it, and when achieving the goal what impact will this have on others and the game...

We will need to educate and challenge the skillsets, standards, mental toughness and create greater match exposure to ensure the players can arrive at Red Roses level producing consistency and reliability... We will not win 2029 in Australia playing the same way, with the same team... we will need to evolve keep our core and add the necessary layers plus own our new team identity.

Music, water bike, reformer, love watching other sports and a barbeque.

Best male player - Tom Curry (England) - his huge work rate both on and off the ball and they both care.

Best female player - Zoe Stratford (nee Aldcroft) (England captain) - her huge work rate and commitment on and off the ball and they both care.

Whilst I was at school at Francis Douglas Memorial College in New Zealand both the Principal and the woodwork teacher were current and former Taranaki provincial coaches.

My All Black heroes was Dave Loveridge, an All Black of the late 1970s and early 1980s, known in his time as the greatest halfback/scrum half in the world.

The other was the infamous Graham Mourie, who was a highly regarded All Black flanker and one of their great captains in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He played a total of 61 matches for the All Blacks (including 21 Tests), 57 of them as captain. He was known for his intelligent approach to the game, speed, fitness, and leadership, notably captaining the All Blacks on their 1978 Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland.

Pep Guardiola - is one of two managers in history to win the continental treble twice and he holds the record for the most consecutive league games won in La Liga, Bundesliga, and the Premier League. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time.

Steve Kerr - was the head coach of the U.S. national basketball team. He is known as one of the most accurate three-point shooters in NBA history and holds the record for highest career three-point percentage. Kerr is also a nine-time NBA champion, having won five titles as a player and four as a head coach. He was named one of the 15 Greatest Coaches in NBA History.

Emma Hayes - is an English professional football manager who is the head coach of the United States women's national team. She was previously manager of Chelsea Women from 2012 to 2024, winning seven Women's Super League titles, including five consecutively from 2020 to 2024. In 2024, she led the United States to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics. She was awarded the inaugural Women's Johan Cruyff Trophy that year as the best coach in the women's game.

Sarina Weigman - is a Dutch football manager and former player who has been the manager of the England women's national team since September 2021. She is the first-ever men's or women's manager to reach five consecutive major international tournament finals.

Hanna Reid - lead singer of the indie pop band London Grammar.

Chris Martin - best known as the vocalist, pianist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay.

Noah Kahn - is an American singer-songwriter who signed with Republic Records in 2017. His breakthrough single, "Hurt Somebody", achieved gold status in the United States and charted in multiple international markets. 

Adri Geldenhuys - A South African lock forward who struck me very hard with his fist on the jaw just at the time the referee had blown the final whistle of a 1994 Waikato v South Africa touring match.

“Opportunity” - Pete Murray

“Letters” - Watershed

“I’ll be there” - The Parlatones

Thank you so Mitch for your time and thank you so much for all you have done for this country for both the men’s rugby union game and of course latterly for the women’s rugby game. We all wish you all success for your quest for back-to-back World Cup success in 2029 if you decide to do it.