England
John Mitchell declares interest in England job
ESPN Staff
November 18, 2015
© (Photo by Teaukura Moetaua/Getty Images)

Ex-All Blacks boss John Mitchell has declared his interest in replacing Stuart Lancaster as England's new head coach.

Eddie Jones is the bookmakers' favourite for the post but he has distanced himself from the role having just joined the Stormers. Previous to Mitchell's declaration, only Jake White had put himself in the frame to replace Lancaster.

But Mitchell has sent his CV to the RFU, according to the Daily Mail, and knows English rugby well having been part of Sir Clive Woodward's backroom staff from 1997 to 2000 before he took on the top All Blacks job in October 2001, a post he left after the 2003 World Cup.

"There aren't too many opportunities to be involved with England and it would be an exciting challenge," Mitchell told the newspaper. "There's a huge amount of talent in England; it's just about how you evolve it once the emotion of the World Cup is out the door."

He added: "I see similarities between the current England forward pack and the guys who were involved when I was last there in the late 1990s. We had young guys like Richard Hill and Lawrence Dallaglio and, in the current set-up, there is a lot of potential that just needs some time."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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