The former All Blacks coach John Mitchell denies he abruptly quit his job as England's defence coach after a falling out with Eddie Jones - even though he'd signed a contract extension only three months earlier.
Mitchell, who's now coaching at English club Wasps, has rejected reports that an argument with Jones over whether he could take a day off to watch his son Daryl, a Black Caps cricketer play, had led to his departure.
Mitchell, 57, has told English media the toll of working for England within tight bubble restrictions and the better work-life balance afforded to him at a club side were the reasons behind him leaving.
Mitchell insists he came to the decision in April and informed Jones in May.
Coaches Eddie Jones and John Mitchell Photo: PhotoSport
"It was an easy decision actually in the end," Mitchell said. "I had a normal chat and at the end said: 'Eddie, I'm done mate, thanks very much. You've now got the opportunity to find someone else.'
"I think at 57 years of age I value things differently in my life, and just made a decision that I felt that I wanted to get out of international rugby at that point. And you're sick of the bubbles, sick of the time away from home and I wanted to look at returning to club rugby.
"I wake up and coach every day wanting to enjoy it and wanting to be myself. That's the most important thing to me. I woke up one day in April, having been thinking about it for a month at least, and just thought: 'I've got to make sure I live by what I value the most.' I thought: 'It's time to make the right decision.'"
Mitchell maintains he enjoys a "very good relationship" with Jones and said the fact he had endured the disappointment of being sacked as the All Blacks head coach after their World Cup last-four exit in 2003 meant he was less minded to stay on until 2023 in an effort to go one better with England than in Japan two years ago.
"If a gold medal was important to me and a World Cup, if that was my main priority, then maybe my decision would be different, but I value life more than just winning a World Cup," he said.
"My life has been exposed before in not winning a World Cup so I know exactly what that's like. I'm certainly not going to put myself in that situation again."
-RNZ