Dean Mumm on mission to prove he’s World Cup ready

Dean Mumm skipper Dean Mumm insists he will have no qualms over returning to as ‘public enemy No.1' if he achieves his dream of representing the at the World Cup.
Australia are pooled with England and in the tournament's ‘Group of Death' and lock forward Mumm, who is aiming to impress for the Waratahs in the final rounds of once Exeter's season finishes, believes his inside knowledge of the English game could prove invaluable.
“Playing for the Wallabies is my intention and I'm going to try and grab some games for the Waratahs towards the end of the Super Rugby season,” Mumm, capped 33 times by Australia between 2008 and 2010, told The Rugby Paper.
“They'll have a few rounds left when I get back and if I can get a game in front of Michael Cheika and the other Australia coaches, it gives them a chance to make their choice.
“Michael hasn't been explicit over my chances yet, we'll cover that stuff when I arrive back in Sydney, but I'm in pretty good form and the World Cup is my big target.
“My knowledge of English rugby would certainly be helpful. I've got a far better understanding of what motivates English players and in my time at the Chiefs we've come up against good scrums, which will be a key factor for Australia and what it takes against those elements.
“Understanding the English mentality is handy in the way you approach those front-five situations, so I'd just like the opportunity to be able to use my experience of being here.”
Australia's scrum has often been the butt of English jokes, but Mumm believes a change of emphasis in Super Rugby this season could herald a surprise come World Cup time.
He said: “There's been a much greater emphasis on the scrum in Super Rugby than in previous years and one match saw multiple penalty tries off scrums, which was unheard of.
“There clearly has been an emphasis on it and the Waratahs have done that as a squad, so hopefully that will transfer to the Wallabies because it'll be a key element of the World Cup.
“It's a hell of a pool Australia are in, with England, Wales and Fiji, and it's a shame some of the best teams were drawn together. But whoever comes out of that pool will certainly be ready and ripe to go come quarter-final time and will have a very good chance of going further.”
Mumm's three years at Exeter have coincided with the club's continued rise to prominence.
Of his time at Sandy Park, the 31-year-old said: “I came here not really knowing what I was getting into, but coming into this unique culture is something I'll always remember.
“I came over wanting to play in the and we've done that. To win the LV= Cup was pretty special and this year we've had good wins against , Saracens and and been in contention for the play-offs, so that ranks up there as well.
“I wanted to be involved in a strong club that was ambitious and going places. I've been able to do all those things and I believe the Chiefs will be successful for years to come.”
England boss is contracted until 2020, but Mumm believes Exeter boss has what it takes to takes to one day take charge of the Red Rose set-up.
He said: “Rob's an excellent coach, both in terms of his knowledge and more so in his ability to create a culture where people love playing for him and the Chiefs. That's a unique skill in coaching, one that sometimes gets overlooked.
“Rob and his family are part of the fabric here and they understand the club and how to get it going forward in a sustainable manner. It's not flash in the pan stuff, it's about laying foundations and he's done a really good job at that.
“Do I think Rob could do England one day? Yes. He's got that man-management element about him which is even more important at international level.
“At Test level the players are so good and the real difference comes from guys who can manage a team really well. Rob is more than qualified in that respect; he tells things as they are and he has a good appreciation of the role of the media.”
NEALE HARVEY

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