Drew Mitchell prepares to crown his best mate, Adam Ashley-Cooper new World Cup try king

Fox Sports star Drew Mitchell knows his try-scoring record at the Rugby World Cup is under threat. It could be beaten by someone close to him.

Drew Mitchell at The Star for Fox Sports. Picture: Tim Hunter.

He may be itching to pull on the green and gold again but Fox Sports star Drew Mitchell is content to now leave the try-scoring to his best mate and Rugby World Cup bolter, Adam Ashley-Cooper.

While Mitchell still holds the record for the most tries scored by a Wallabies player in the World Cup — having notched up 14 tries across 13 RWC matches and three campaigns — he believes Ashley-Cooper is the man most likely to steal his place in history.

“I think the closest to my record is Adam Ashley Cooper, he’s on 10 or so,” Mitchell told News Corp before the Australian squad was announced on Friday.

“He’s been 24th man the last few tests and warmed up in each of those games but just hasn’t got a jersey. I know Cheik [coach Michael Cheika] likes to bring in guys with experience, even if he’s not in his starting 23 against Fiji (Australia’s first Cup pool match, he’d definitely value. He could be one of those squad players, who plays against teams like Georgia or Uruguay, but also add a lot on the training field with his experience.”

Cup try king … Drew Mitchell will be on the sidelines at the Rugby World Cup for Fox Sports. Picture: Tim Hunter.

It was this thinking that saw Ashley-Cooper make the team bound for Tokyo next month, earning him the title as the oldest player, at 35, to ever be selected for Australia in World Cup history.

And Mitchell thinks his buddy is primed for a try-fest.

“Generally, with respect, those games against Uruguay and Georgia, there’s normally more tries scored, so maybe [the record] could go to Adam. It would be nice, because I married Adam,” Mitchell said, who acted as celebrant at Ashley-Cooper’s wedding to Anna Scrimshaw in the south of France in 2017.

Adam Ashley-Cooper of the Wallabies during an Australian Wallabies training session. Picture: Getty

“I was based in France at that time [playing for RC Toulon] and his fiance asked me to marry them, so I was like, ‘yeah.’ So if someone was to break my record, why not let it be your best mate.”

Happily ever after … Mitchell was marriage celebrant at his former teammate Adam Ashley-Cooper’s wedding to Anna Scrimshaw. Picture: Instagram

MORE NEWS

Drew Mitchell’s peace offering to rebel Israel Folau

Choco: Folau could have made it in AFL

The phone calls that changed Wallabies’ lives

Cheika happy to keep ‘em guessing

Mitchell called time on his international career the same year, having earned 71 caps for Australia and falling just one try short of the tries record at the World Cup — shared by the late Jonah Lomu and South Africa’s Bryan Habana.

He will join Fox Sports commentary team for RWC 2019, lead by caller Greg Clark and former Wallabies, George Gregan, Phil Kearns, Tim Horan, Rod Kafer, Justin Harrison, Greg Martin and Stephen Hoiles.

The Cup coverage begins Thursday, September 19 at 7.30pm, on Fox Sports [503] which will become a dedicated RWC channel until the final on November 2.

Foxtel’s RWC 4K channel [499] will kick off with coverage of the opening ceremony at 7pm, followed by the first match between Japan and Russia at 8.45pm,

Australia’s campaign begins against Fiji from 2pm, Sunday, September 21, to be followed by France v Argentina at 5.15pm, and a blockbuster match between New Zealand and South Africa at 7.45pm.

The Wallabies then face Wales (5pm, Sunday, September 29), Uruguay (2.30pm, Saturday 05 October), and Georgia (8.30pm, Friday, 11 October).

Originally published as Drew Mitchell prepares to crown his best mate, Adam Ashley-Cooper new World Cup try king