England women's World Cup-winning coach, John Mitchell, has revealed he became a UK citizen in July, following a six-year process. The New Zealander, who previously coached the All Blacks at the 2003 men's World Cup, stated that representing the country on a sporting stage would now be "very whole and meaningful."
Mitchell expressed his happiness at becoming a British and English citizen, noting that his extensive time in English rugby motivated his decision. He joked about his preparation for the citizenship exam, which included swatting up on history.
The 62-year-old will lead England in the revamped WXV tournament, which begins in September and October. England will play three home games against Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, with their first WXV match against Australia on 12 September at Sale's CorpAcq Stadium.
The WXV tournament will also feature a trial of a 4.5 size ball, a change from the standard size five. Mitchell acknowledged that while the smaller ball could help younger players, the consequences, such as potential impacts on offloading and passing, are still being assessed.