Former NZ boss hints All Blacks are 'spying' on England
WORLD CUP SPOTLIGHT: Former New Zealand boss turned England defence coach John Mitchell has suggested the All Blacks may have been spying on their opponents ahead of Saturday’s World Cup semifinal.
England were holding a training session on Tuesday when an unidentified cameraman was spotted in one of the residential buildings overlooking their practice ground in Tokyo.
Security officials with the team looked into the scene after spotting a suspicious red light.
Mitchell, New Zealand’s coach when they lost a 2003 World Cup semifinal to an Australia side under the guidance of now England boss Eddie Jones, hinted the All Blacks may have been behind the incident.
“If that is what they want to do, and that is the way they want to prepare, good luck to them,” he said.
“We just happened to be training where there are apartments above our tiny two-metre fence was, so I am not sure about what the use of the tarpaulins are.
“The facilities have been excellent but it’s an area where people live and there is the odd red light around. There was one up in the corner, which was a bit suspicious. It doesn’t really worry me. This game is so dynamic now so I don’t see any advantage in spying on a team.
“When I took over the All Blacks in 2001 we had a manager who was highly military and he loved surveying the whole area. To me, you can get too involved in it and create an anxiety on your group. There is enough pressure at this level without chasing around some blokes that might be in a building with a camera.
“I was with Clive Woodward when we were going for a Grand Slam against Scotland and we chased somebody from one of the papers around the corner and caught him in a hedge. He was pretty unlucky actually but that was when the game was a lot different to what it is now.
“I’ve seen coaches spy, I’ve had other coaches spy. I’ve had mates spy as well and it is, but I don’t see any advantage.”
Jones also downplayed the incident, which took place just days before the most important match of his four-year spell in charge of England, saying it might have been a Japanese fan.
He said he used to engage in sporting espionage but had not since 2001, as modern technology had made it obsolete.
“You can watch everyone’s training on YouTube. There’s no value in doing that sort of thing, absolutely zero.”
New Zealand have won 33 of their matches against England and the two-time reigning world champions will be strong favourites to triumph this weekend in Yokohama.
😂Spy Cam catches new Springbok secret weapon #StrongerTogether #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/bNFPC0GT39
— Springboks (@Springboks) October 23, 2019
But England wing Anthony Watson said the fact several players had been involved in the 2017 British and Irish Lions squad that drew a Test series in New Zealand meant they knew the All Blacks were not an invincible force.
“They’re humans at the end of the day,” said Watson.
“There will be 23 of them and 23 of us on Saturday and they’re human beings and rugby players just like us.
AFP & @RugbyPass
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