Former All Blacks coach John Mitchell insisted Monday he would stay on in South Africa to coach the Golden Lions, despite being stabbed in his Johannesburg home during a weekend robbery.
Two men broke into a Johannesburg apartment Mitchell was sharing with fellow New Zealander Wayne Taylor on Saturday night, and one of them stabbed the 46-year-old coach during a struggle, police spokesman Moses Maphakela told AFP.
Mitchell at first thought the attack was a prank and jumped on one of the assailants.
Taylor escaped through a bathroom window and alerted police when he heard the attackers demand money from Mitchell, Maphakela said.
“I’m not feeling great, obviously, but my injuries are not too bad and I just thank God that they missed the artery in my leg when they stabbed me,” Mitchell said in a statement.
“I am still very committed to the Lions. This is a beautiful country and I consider myself fortunate to have the opportunity to work here,” he said.
“I won’t let this deter my commitment or passion for the team, but I need to make sure that I am totally secure in where I live, as it is not at all nice waking up and having to defend your life.”
“The security at the complex was insufficient on Saturday night, as we have lived there safely for over three months. The security company has a lot to answer for with what happened to us,” he added.
Mitchell was stabbed in the thigh and upper arm, but he returned to work Monday receiving stitches for the wounds, the team said. Local radio reported that he limped and wore a plaster cast on his right arm when he arrived for work at the Johannesburg stadium.
The attackers fled with electronic equipment, but dumped the bigger equipment in their flight. Police took fingerprints from the house, but had no further leads, said Maphakela.
Lions president Kevin de Klerk expressed his horror at the attacks.
“We have rallied around both John and Wayne during this terrible time and have placed them both in new accommodation for the time being while we find them new permanent residency,” he said.
jeremy
Guest
Hi Bayboy, Totally see where you're coming from - that myth was created by one journo, Stephen Jones, who is perpetually annoyed that the colonies keep rolling the Home Nations with gloomy regularity. David's most likely referring to the 'play once for one country and that's your country for life' rule for dual citizens. An amendment to this rule, allowing players to play for another country so long as they were citizens by birth of that country, was supported by SANZAR but knocked back by the Home Nations. I think he's quite right in making this point, if you're a dual citizen by birth, you should have the opportunity to play for another team after a certain qualifying / standdown period. Thus Jerry Collins would be able to play for Samoa, Doug Howlett for Tonga, Lote Tuqiri for Fiji, etc. They may not make the top teams of NZ / Aus again but their talents could be well utilised by the smaller nations, thereby strengthening the game in the Pacific Islands and, well, helping the communities from which they came.
p.Tah
Guest
Guys don't judge Taylor. Who knows how you'd react in that situation. What are two unarmed guys going to do against two guys with knives? Getting out and getting help probably saved both of them.
Bayboy
Guest
David at the 2007 world cup 14 members of the Samoan team were New Zealand born. Whilst of Samoan heritage they were Kiwis first. It puts paid to the myth that NZ and Aus keep taking the talent out of the Islands
johno
Guest
Ja, typical All Blacks, when the chips are down the one starts crying and the other one runs away.
Seiran
Guest
Taylor heard his roommate being attacked and jumped out of a window.....didn't feel like helping him then? I wouldn't expect Mitchell to run off home because of this. As Temba points out above, this happens regularly in South Africa. I was robbed in my home in SA back in 98' and then whilst living in Zimbabwe in 99' I was again robbed in my home. You move on and learn from the experiences......and lock your doors.
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
Says a lot for the resolve of John Mitchell, the ultimate hard man of Rugby. He's got bigger balls than me. Rather scary to be attacked in your own home, he is lucky to have survived it could easily have been a real tragedy. You would have to feel for his wife and kids in Perth they must be beside themselves with concern. I hope he does really well for the Lions they need someone of his caliber to lift them from the bottom. I would hope in the long run the people at the Lions realise what a tough bloke they have working for them and the players get some of his toughness when they contest the next Super season
Hayden
Guest
Plus, what are the odds of getting stabbed twice?
David Prasad
Guest
Hi there, Can the IRB please release all island players for the Rugby World Cup. Those who do not qualify for either OZ/NZ. Please release them so that they can play for their country of origin. Remember some players have come off age and not required by OZ/NZ but they could yet be valuable asset to Pacific teams such as FIJI/TONGA/SAMOA. Come on IRB dont let the red taping and bottlenecking be part of such and gentlemen sport been ruined. These players have entertained the OZ/NZ now please let them play for their country of origin. Grow up and follow the and learn for Rugby League World Cup. Thanks David
Tembavj
Guest
TIA Good on him, get back on the horse... Many south Africans deal with this daily.