Scrum-halves usually have a reputation for being the bossiest players on a rugby pitch but Alex Mitchell has come to terms with being ordered around for both club and now country by a man five years his junior.
Fin Smith might be just 22, but he knows exactly how he wants the game to be played, and showed the same assertiveness in his first Test start for England against France last week as he did while orchestrating Northampton Saints’ Gallagher Premiership title-winning campaign last season.
For 27-year-old Mitchell, that means following the instructions of his half-back partner, something he did to great effect in the dramatic 26-25 victory over France at Allianz Stadium, in which Smith was named Player of the Match.
“Fin has been fantastic when he’s been here,” said Mitchell, speaking at Allianz Stadium.
“He’s only 22 years old and he comes and bosses the forwards around and bosses me around. He’s been fantastic and the way he stepped up over the last year has been amazing for club and country. It’s amazing to see someone like that step because he’s deserved and he’s a quality player.”
England’s win over France got them up and running in the Guinness Six Nations and ended a run of seven successive defeats to tier one opposition.
They now prepare to face Scotland in a second consecutive home encounter, looking to end a run of four straight defeats in the Calcutta Cup.
That is the joint longest run of Scottish wins in the fixture, and Mitchell knows that England will have to be at their best to end that streak.
Against France, they had to scramble back on a regular basis in the first half, with Les Bleus threatening to pull away.
And Mitchell believes that England’s struggles in the first half are evidence that they still have a big margin for improvement ahead of the Scotland game.
He added: “In the first half against France, we were probably a tiny bit off it in a few areas, and that gave them a few ins. I think the way we fought back in the second half and found a way to put ourselves in a position to win the game was huge.
“I think it shows we have got a lot of fight in this team and we’ve got places to go. It’s actually so positive looking at how many mistakes we made in the first half, and how many things we can do better. It gives us a lot of confidence that if we tidy them up, we’re going to be a really good side.
“Playing against Scotland is always a massive game, it’s one that you look forward to. The Calcutta Cup is massive, we’ve been hurt the last couple of years not getting over the line and getting the wins.
“But it’s exciting times to come back here and show where we are at the moment, and our confidence and put a performance in. These are the weeks you wait for, the games you want to play in so I can’t wait.”
Get ready for round three of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations as England take on Scotland at Allianz Stadium this Saturday 22nd February #AllianzStadium #TogetherWeRaiseTheRoof
Featured Image Credit: imagecomms
Join the discussion