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John Mitchell

Former All Black Captain and Coach

A world-renowned rugby player, captain and coach, one of only three New Zealanders to have played for, captained and coached the All Blacks. A passionate speaker, John shares insights on leadership, teamwork and building high-performance cultures in sport and business.

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John Mitchell is one of the most accomplished and dynamic figures in world rugby, having excelled as a player, captain and coach. He is one of only three New Zealanders to have played for, captained and coached the All Blacks.

As a coach, John has held prestigious roles including Head Coach of the Waikato Chiefs (Super 12), Assistant Coach of England (1997–2000) where he helped secure the 2003 Rugby World Cup, and Head Coach of the All Blacks (2002–2003), leading an undefeated northern hemisphere tour and multiple Tri Nations, Bledisloe and Gallagher Cup victories. He later led the Western Force in Super 14, nurturing players who went on to represent Australia with the Wallabies.

As a No. 8, John was a centurion for Waikato and captained the All Blacks on their 1993 tour of England and Scotland. His career reflects a rare blend of on-field excellence and strategic coaching acumen, underpinned by a deep understanding of teamwork, culture and leadership.

A passionate and engaging speaker, John translates his sporting experiences into practical insights for business and organisational leadership, inspiring audiences to build high-performing teams and winning cultures.

Topics

  • The purpose of leadership
  • As leaders of the program the hunger for improvement must be sustained
  • No hiding place for leaders
  • Where does pressure come from and how do you handle it?
  • The Key to success is constant learning and evolving
  • The requirement is growth
  • Its actually the art of coaching
  • What is really meant by the word Empowerment? – the central element to success is the motivation of the players
  • The benefits of experience
  • What is the difference being a Head Coach – the Ireland, England, and All Black stories of different leadership
  • The Emirates Western Force clean sheet of paper
  • The Emirates Western Force Leadership phase 2
Everyone I spoke to was very impressed by John and of course he totally 'won over' the women in the audience. I'm sure there will be a few Queenslanders barracking for the FORCE this year ...except when they play Queensland of course. GPS Rugby Club
John was an excellent speaker and the 'interview' format worked well - made for a more relaxing style presentation which suited our function. It was also great that he stayed for a while and chatted to many of our guests particularly when I know how busy he was. We had lots of great feedback from our staff and clients following the event. PricewaterhouseCoopers Australia
John Mitchell was a very good presenter, he gave his message very clearly, related his topic to the theme of the conference and was of course very popular with the NZ attendees. All delegates were impressed by his professionalism and his approach to his position. AWI 7th World Merino Conference
Our annual rugby lunch is always a highlight of our events program and John Mitchell’s contribution to the 2005 lunch ensured its continued success. John captivated the audience with his quick wit and forthright style. Property Council of Australia
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