News

English press turn on Johnson

Sunday 23rd November 2008

Following England's record 42-6 defeat at the hands of South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday the English rugby press has turned on Martin Johnson.

Having replaced Brian Ashton in a new position as Team Manager Johnson is just three games into his tenure, and the last two have seen defeats against Australia and South Africa. And with New Zealand smelling blood ahead of next Saturday's visit to Twickenham things are not looking good for the former England captain.

A predictable win over the Pacific Islands got their November off to a good start, but last week's 28-14 reverse to Australia was followed up by a 42-6 hammering this week.

Writing in The Guardian Jon Henderson said the manner of England's capitulation placed Johnson under severe scrutiny.

"It (the defeat) raised questions about the manager himself. Whether, after all, it was such a good idea to put a man in charge of the national team who has no previous experience of such a task, even at club level, and whose main role since his outstanding playing career ended in 2005 has been as a corporate schmoozer. At times the England performance was little short of clueless, for which Johnson has to take much of the rap.

"After three games in charge, Johnson's record stands at an inconsequential win against the Pacific Islanders two weeks ago and two defeats, the first against Australia last weekend and now this record thrashing by a South Africa side whose scrambled victories against Wales and Scotland had alerted England to the possibility of a morale-bolstering success."

Simon Hart, in The Telegraph, said after England's heaviest defeat at Twickenham "the thunderous look on the face of Martin Johnson betrayed the depth of the crisis in which he now finds himself just three matches into his tenure as manager.

"His leadership qualities face an even tougher examination next week when he sends his side out against the All Blacks.

"Beating New Zealand to claim a top-four seeding in the 2011 World Cup draw a week tomorrow is just a pipe dream.

The Guardian's reporter Michael Aylwin offered another damning appraisal:

"Where to start? This was bad. Quite possibly the worst we have seen from an England side in recent times, which is saying something. Come back, Brian Ashton, all is forgiven.

"There are mitigating circumstances, of course. For a start, this is a young and inexperienced side, which is very unlike England, and we cannot suddenly complain about that when for years we were moaning that they were too old.

"But this is a second profoundly sobering defeat this autumn, with the All Blacks still to come, and so far there seems to be a distinct lack of positives being taken from them. If there is inexperience on the field, there is even more of it in the stands. At least everyone on the pitch has played rugby before.

"The man managing the outfit has never managed anything before. It seems ridiculous to look at the battered brow of Martin Johnson and call it inexperienced, but this is a new challenge for him - and not new as in a new degree of difficulty; new as in he has literally never had a go at it."

All round, Aylwin continued, "this was a horror show for any Englishman who longed for the days of Johnson's England (the one he was captain of), when everything seemed to be done on their terms and in total control."