{"id":290064,"date":"2023-09-08T22:36:20","date_gmt":"2023-09-08T22:36:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports-life-news.com\/?p=290064"},"modified":"2023-09-08T22:36:20","modified_gmt":"2023-09-08T22:36:20","slug":"alex-mitchell-admits-his-world-cup-journey-has-been-weird","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports-life-news.com\/rugby-union\/alex-mitchell-admits-his-world-cup-journey-has-been-weird\/","title":{"rendered":"Alex Mitchell admits his World Cup journey has been 'weird'"},"content":{"rendered":"
Alex Mitchell, entrusted with injecting some life into England’s moribund team, admits his World Cup journey has been a ‘weird’ one.<\/p>\n
The scrum-half starts England’s opener against Argentina on Saturday night despite not making the original 41-man training squad.<\/p>\n
That omission allowed the Northampton man to take a holiday in Hvar in Croatia.<\/p>\n
But Jack van Poortvliet’s ankle injury against Wales at Twickenham last month opened the door.<\/p>\n
‘It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster – out of the squad, then back in and now getting a shot against Argentina,’ Mitchell said. ‘I stayed fit and then got called to come in. I trained hard and tried to put my hand up again.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Alex Mitchell has reflected on his rollercoaster journey to joining England at the World Cup<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Scrum-half Mitchell will start England’s opener against Argentina and is relishing the moment<\/p>\n
‘I’m massively excited to be getting an opportunity to play. It’s all been a bit weird but I’m excited.<\/p>\n
‘As a kid it’s a thing you dream of, playing at the World Cup. To start the first World Cup game is a massive honour – my family are massively proud of me. I’m really looking forward to it and hopefully we can get a result.’<\/p>\n
Van Poortvliet’s misfortune offered his route back into the squad and when asked to start against Fiji, Mitchell seized the opportunity by emerging as one of the few bright sparks.<\/p>\n
Mitchell, 26, was a regular fixture in England training squads under Eddie Jones before being used as a dynamic replacement by Borthwick during the recent Six Nations, so it came as a shock when he was originally deemed to be surplus to requirements.<\/p>\n
But his elevation to a central role in the main event of Pool D has come at a difficult time for England, who are reeling from five defeats in six Tests.<\/p>\n
‘I’ve got to try and control the game, get the team to tick and, when I can, imprint some tempo into the side but stick to the gameplan,’ he said.<\/p>\n
‘We know we’re a good side when we play well and stick to our style of play.’<\/p>\n