Drew Mitchell
Australian rugby union player (born 1984)
Drew Allan Mitchell (born 26 March 1984) is an Australian former professional rugby union player. He played on the wing or as fullback. Up to the 2006 season he played for the Queensland Reds in the Super 12. He played for the Western Force for the 2007-2009 Super 14 seasons. From 2010 to 2013 he played for the New South Wales Waratahs. And between 2013 and 2017 he played for Toulon in the French Top 14 competition. He made his Test debut for Australia in 2005, making 71 caps by his retirement. He is Australia's highest try-scorer in Rugby World Cup history.
01Early life
Mitchell was born Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia in 1984.
Mitchell was educated at Strathpine West State School and St Patrick's College, Shorncliffe and played his junior rugby for the Pine Rivers Pumas Rugby Union club, going on to play rugby for University of Queensland Rugby Club. Mitchell went on to captain the Queensland Academy of Sport U-19 team as well as going on to be an Australian Schoolboy and Sevens international.
02Career
Mitchell's domestic future again had a period of speculation when he was approached by the NSW Waratahs and the ACT Brumbies ahead of the 2010 Super Rugby season. Mitchell eventually signed for the NSW Waratahs, replacing Sam Norton-Knight.
Mitchell dislocated his ankle and broke a bone in his leg after he collided with Scott Higginbotham of the Reds during their match on Saturday, 23 April and was initially ruled out of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. However, he subsequently made a full recovery and was included in Australia's tournament squad. In the lead up to the 2012 Super Rugby season Mitchell suffered an ankle problem, and missed the Waratahs pre-season games. He did not play any games in the first half of the competition, making only five appearances all season.
In 2013, Mitchell agreed a two-year deal to play for Toulon for the 2012-13 Top 14 season. Mitchell went on to make 81 appearances for the Toulon side, securing several European & French crowns, his final match being a Top 14 Final loss to Clermont.
On 17 April 2017, Mitchell announced the end of his rugby career on Twitter in spite of previous reports of a possible return to the Super Rugby.
In February 2022, Mitchell participated in a charity match at Suncorp Stadium to raise funds for Tonga after a tsunami devastated the island nation. After taking a number of heavy tackles from the Tongan side, Mitchell jokingly remarked that he "donated a hamstring and a rib to the Tongan relief fund", and also stressed that there was "no chance" of a comeback to the sport.
03International career
Mitchell made his international debut for the Wallabies against South Africa in 2005, after being selected post-season with the Queensland Reds in which he was named Australia's Rookie of the Year.
Mitchell's international career stalled after Australia's 2005 Spring Tour, and he didn't feature for the Wallabies again until Wales toured in 2007. By this time Mitchell had switched to newly formed Western Force and impressed enough to gain a place in the Australia squad for the 2007 World Cup in France. He scored seven tries during that tournament.
He made one substitute appearance against Ireland and in two starts scored one try against the USA and two against Russia. He injured his hamstring in the final pool stage match of the 2011 World Cup, missing the remainder of the tournament.
Mitchell's international career turned to a standstill after he left the Super Rugby back in 2013, but with the Australian Rugby change of rules to the eligibility of overseas based Australian Rugby players under Giteau's law, Mitchell and Toulon teammate Matt Giteau were included in the Wallabies' squad for the 2015 Rugby Championship. With solid performances playing against the Springboks in the 24-20 win at Suncorp Stadium, and the 27-19 win against New Zealand at ANZ Stadium, Mitchell was included in the Wallabies' 31-man squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Mitchell's last match playing for the Wallabies was in the 2016 Rugby Championship victory against the Springboks, coming off the bench after a groin injury.
04Other ventures
In 2021, Mitchell was part of the commentary lineup for the Nine Network's Stan Sport coverage of Australia's Test matches.
05Career statistics
Club
- As of 4 June 2017.
| Club | Season | League | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Tries | Points | Apps | Tries | Points | Apps | Tries | Points | ||
| Reds | 2004 | Super 12 | 11 | 2 | 10 | , | 11 | 2 | 10 | ||
| 2005 | 11 | 4 | 20 | , | 11 | 4 | 20 | ||||
| 2006 | 13 | 3 | 15 | , | 13 | 3 | 15 | ||||
| Total | 35 | 9 | 45 | , | 35 | 9 | 45 | ||||
| Force | 2007 | Super 14 | 13 | 3 | 15 | , | 13 | 3 | 15 | ||
| 2008 | 12 | 2 | 10 | , | 12 | 2 | 10 | ||||
| 2009 | 13 | 4 | 20 | , | 13 | 4 | 20 | ||||
| Total | 38 | 9 | 45 | , | 38 | 9 | 45 | ||||
| Waratahs | 2010 | Super 14 | 14 | 9 | 45 | , | 14 | 9 | 45 | ||
| 2011 | Super Rugby | 9 | 6 | 30 | , | 9 | 6 | 30 | |||
| 2012 | 4 | 1 | 5 | , | 4 | 1 | 5 | ||||
| 2013 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 5 | ||
| Total | 39 | 17 | 85 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 17 | 85 | ||
| Toulon | 2013-14 | Top 14 | 20 | 4 | 20 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 29 | 5 | 25 |
| 2014-15 | 24 | 9 | 45 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 30 | 11 | 55 | ||
| 2015-16 | 10 | 6 | 30 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 7 | 35 | ||
| 2016-17 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 5 | ||
| Total | 68 | 20 | 100 | 19 | 4 | 20 | 87 | 24 | 120 | ||
| Career total | 180 | 55 | 275 | 20 | 4 | 20 | 200 | 59 | 295 | ||
International
- As of 10 September 2017.
| Team | Year | Statistic | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Tries | Points | ||||||
| Australia A | 2008 | 3 | 3 | 15 | ||||
| Australia | 2005 | 10 | 6 | 30 | ||||
| 2007 | 11 | 8 | 40 | |||||
| 2008 | 8 | 3 | 15 | |||||
| 2009 | 12 | 1 | 5 | |||||
| 2010 | 14 | 9 | 45 | |||||
| 2011 | 3 | 3 | 15 | |||||
| 2012 | 5 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2015 | 7 | 4 | 20 | |||||
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 71 | 34 | 170 | |||||
International tries
06Awards and honours
Toulon
Australia
- Rugby World Cup: 2015 (runners-up)
- The Rugby Championship: 2015
Individual
- Australian Super Rugby Rookie of the Year: 2005
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Drew Mitchell”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Drew Mitchell - US Oyonnax - Rugby club toulonnais, 28th September 2013 (cropped).jpg by Fanny Schertzer, CC BY 3.0
- USO - RCT - 28-09-2013 - Stade Mathon - Plaquage 11 (cropped).jpg by Clément Bucco-Lechat, CC BY-SA 3.0
Fathomly is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Wikimedia Foundation. Spotted a problem? Tell us.