Riki Flutey is still waiting for John Mitchell’s message back.
“I’ve sent him a couple of photos of me and him with our arms around each other, you know,” Flutey says with a smile.
“Hey, I’m sure he’ll send me one at some point. He’s got a big job leading the ship!”
At the last Rugby World Cup – France 2023 – the pair were part of Japan’s coaching staff.
Now they are in opposite camps. Flutey, the former England international and British and Irish Lion, is backs and skills coach for the Black Ferns.
Mitchell, picked in various All Black squads during his playing days, leads the Red Roses.
Flutey was appointed in April as the final part of New Zealand’s coaching set-up for this Women’s Rugby World Cup.
One of the first things that struck him was the group mentality of the six-time champions.
“Allan Bunting, head coach, has done a fantastic job by creating an environment based on connection and service,” he says.
“You know, coming from the outside, from a Super Rugby men’s environment [Flutey’s last post was with the Highlanders] and just seeing how that looks and how that feels is pretty amazing.
“The connections within this team, management to management, management to player, and player to player, are pretty special.
“It’s really genuine.”
There are no formal bonding exercises or team-building sessions, just a lot of time in each others’ company, talking, singing and supporting each other on another well-timed tilt towards the world title.
“I remember as a player, as soon as we had our meeting at the hotel before getting on the bus you could hear a pin drop,” says Flutey.
“No-one would speak.
“Everyone was headphones on, no talking, eyes straight ahead. That was what ‘on’ looked like.
“But with this team they have music playing, they connect with each other, talk with each other throughout that whole process – into the changing rooms as well.
“I love it. I love being pretty relaxed on game day, clearing the mind a bit about the pressure that’s about to come and enjoying the moment – so that’s pretty cool.”
