Former England centre Jeremy Guscott believes Eddie Jones’ team will benefit from John Mitchell’s direct coaching style.

Mitchell is set to leave his position as Bulls executive of rugby to become England’s defence coach.

Guscott, who was part of the England team when the New Zealander was brought on board as forwards coach by Clive Woodward in 1997, said Mitchell could make a similar impact under Jones.

‘Mitchell will be more direct than what the players are used to – Kiwis tend not to flower stuff,’ Guscott wrote in The Rugby Paper. ‘The game is very simple to them and having a Kiwi coach will certainly up the skill levels of the players. I remember him going through drills of rucking, body positions, technique – he was very up on that and wanted the players to be the best so it was drill after drill after drill.

‘It was physical and intense but he made sure it wasn’t boring and I certainly learnt a lot under his coaching.

‘This England side lacks intensity. It’s the nature of the beast with a nine- or 10-month season here in all weathers.

‘Mitchell will hopefully bring that missing intensity because he won’t allow standards to drop. It will be as intense, if not more so, in training as in a game. That is a Kiwi trait that he can bring to this side so the players will think the game won’t be as tough as training.’

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