PODCAST: Being attacked in South Africa changed John Mitchell

SPOTLIGHT: England Red Roses coach John Mitchell has been around the block, coached all over the world, but has not always been the most liked coach out there.

On Ben Herrings’ latest Coaching Culture podcast, Mitchell reveals the transformative journey that reshaped his entire approach to leadership and the incident in South Africa that changed his perspective on coaching.

His rugby coaching CV is extensive, spanning over three decades and multiple countries. He has coached the All Blacks, the England men’s team, and various Super Rugby franchises, including the Chiefs, Waikato, and Western Force.

He also coached the USA Eagles and is currently the head coach of the England women’s team, the Red Roses.

During his time in South Africa, he coached the Lions and was Director of Rugby at the Bulls in 2017.

These days, ‘Mitch’ lives quietly in Surrey with his South African wife, Julie, and is at his happiest barbecuing in his backyard.

Earlier in the year, he coached the Red Roses to Six Nations victory and is prepping them for the World Cup that takes place in England in August.

The podcast explores the stark contrast between Mitchell’s early “transactional” days, where players were evaluated solely on their contribution to winning, and his current approach centred on genuine connection.

He now prioritizes understanding each player as a person first, recognising that psychological safety forms the foundation for trust, communication, and ultimately, performance.

A grim episode in 2010, when he was stabbed in the thigh and upper arm by an intruder in Johannesburg, clearly prompted a reappraisal of his priorities in life.

“I was tied up, stabbed, and left for dead. That moment made me change my values,” Mitchell recalls.

He shared this story not for drama, but for perspective.

“I started coaching the Lions [2010], and me and conditioning coach Wayne Taylor were in a place in Hyde Park…we just left ourselves exposed. One of the windows was open.

“They jumped in and basically got us at two in the morning, asleep. I thought it was probably Wayne playing a practical joke.

“But I was tied up with a mobile phone cord and stabbed in the process of waking up.

“I managed to negotiate my way out of it, and I was very fortunate.

“From that point onwards, I thought ‘I need to change’.

“For some reason, my lenses were on outcome, and I just wanted to change that around.

“I was chasing outcome, my values weren’t in a good place, and I was a hard person. I was hard. And I thought, those things need to change.

“It was one of the best things that had ever happened to me, to be fair.

Run it back 🎥

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— Red Roses (@RedRosesRugby) April 27, 2025

“I put all my eggs in one basket, and then you lose sight of family, you lose sight of your friends. I lost sight of my community.

“The game will come and go as we see it as coaches, but your family and friends – they are your rock solid. That’s where you get your balance.

“And perhaps I didn’t have my balance right. And then I made some decisions as a result of that to have some of what I value.

“I wish I had the awareness earlier, without having to go through that experience, but sometimes the world will just create that.

“I chased outcomes and didn’t have a consistent process or methodology that was going to allow me to consistently present the teams’ opportunities to win.

“Once I got attacked in South Africa, that challenge that evening, waking up from that, and going, ‘Hold on, I need to change some things,’ and I promised myself that I would never fall into that mindset again.

“Now it’s basically enjoyment.

“I just love the game. The game intrigues me. I can’t just sit there and watch it socially.

“I married a South African, Julie, and she knows South Africans are so passionate about their rugby.

“And we’ve got a few here in our street in England. Their energy just gets louder and louder, and I am just submerged, getting quieter and quieter. I can’t watch it as a fan. I’m always curious why something happens.”

The Women’s World Cup will kick off with hosts England facing the USA in the opening match at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light on August 22, 2025.