England enter Six Nations with Johnson’s ‘best’ squad
By Julian Guyer, 29 Jan 2010 Julian Guyer is a Roar Guru
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- England rugby, International Rugby, Rugby Union, Six Nations
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England manager Martin Johnson increased the pressure on his side ahead of the Six Nations Championship by insisting the squad was “the best” he had since taking charge in April 2008.
England had a disappointing November campaign, losing to both Australia and New Zealand, and their record since Johnson became manager is modest, with just six wins from 14 Tests and eight defeats.
However, Johnson has several key players coming back from injury and, having seen England finish runners-up in last year’s Championship, he was in bullish mood at the media launch for this season’s Six Nations in London on Wednesday.
“This is the best squad we have had in my time being in charge and it will only get stronger,” England’s 2003 World Cup-winning captain told reporters.
Johnson, whose side open this season’s Six Nations against Wales at Twickenham a week on Sunday, added: “We have a good leadership group and it’s the strength of any side that you have three, four or five guys who could be captain.
“With guys like (fly-half) Jonny Wilkinson, (flanker) Lewis Moody, (No 
Nick Easter and (lock) Simon Shaw we are starting to have a core group of leaders.”
Backs Delon Armitage, Riki Flutey and Toby Flood have all recovered from injury and the hope is they can help sharpen an England attack all too easily blunted in November.
Meanwhile Johnson has promoted young players such as Courtney Lawes and the gifted Ben Foden into the squad.
“We are starting to add a bit of depth to our group, more than ever before. There is competition throughout and that is what you need.
“The next World Cup is 18 months away and we are building a good squad,” Johnson insisted.
Meanwhile Johnson said he expected a hard-fought Six Nations, where Ireland are the defending grand slam champions and England are chasing their first title since 2003.
“Anyone who predicts who will win the title is a brave guy,” he said. “Last year we lost to Ireland and Wales by a combined total of nine points,” added the former lock, who saw England finish the 2009 Six Nations with convincing wins over France and Scotland.
Johnson said England’s Six Nations chances could not be dismissed simply because only one English club, Northampton, had qualified for the quarter-finals of this season’s European Cup.
“In an ideal world we’d have three or four teams there (in the quarter-finals) because it is good for the players, but we haven’t,” he said.
“Last year the French clubs didn’t have a particularly good time of it in Europe but the Six Nations games were very close.
“This year they will be very close.”
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January 30th 2010 @ 6:18am
pothale said | January 30th 2010 @ 6:18am | Report comment
I should have said a clip of the Final in the summer. Where’s that pesky Edit button?
Zac?
January 30th 2010 @ 12:29pm
Viscount Crouchback said | January 30th 2010 @ 12:29pm | Report comment
If the Saxons get any ball, they might do okay. But I’m not convinced by the tight five. As ever with English rugby, there are about five players with genuine claims to each position. Until England has chaps who rank head and shoulders above their competitors, you can forget international glory.
January 31st 2010 @ 1:24am
Wavell Wakefield said | January 31st 2010 @ 1:24am | Report comment
I liked the look of Doran-Jones during his brief Autumn appearance, and Skivington reminds me of a younger Ben Kay (minus the lineout ability), but Attwood strikes me as an undersized 4 who has been chosen due to a lack of options (much like Tom Mercey – when will he actually start playing club rugby?). In contrast the Irish tight five is experienced (Horan: 66 caps; Best: 34; Buckley: 14; O’Driscoll: 17), however none of the front row have been playing regular rugby recently, and neither has Toner. Who wants it more on the day, I suppose.
I like that Saull and Goode have been included, but I am yet to be convinced that Barritt isn’t just a typical SA bosher, and that Cato can actually kick, pass and catch.
January 31st 2010 @ 1:38am
pothale said | January 31st 2010 @ 1:38am | Report comment
‘Who wants it more on the day, I suppose’.
Different motivations and having your expectations met. Of the A side 22, a number of players are getting development time or are getting their only chance to pull on a green jersey – Muldoon, Carr, Duffy, Mathews and probably Dowling. Some are getting necessary game time either through absence from injury or not getting enough from their clubs/provinces – Best, Horan, Buckley, McFadden, O’Driscoll, Toner and others who need more experience or checking – Stringer, Wallace. O’Brien.
A good chunk of them might have an opportunity to play in the 6N or tour in the Summer. Of the English players, what kind of expectations would they have, and how likely are they to be met, with the much greater numbers of ‘talent’ available to Johnson.
Maybe having smaller numbers can sometimes be a boon – less people to keep happy and motivated.
January 31st 2010 @ 2:57am
Colin N said | January 31st 2010 @ 2:57am | Report comment
I think Cato’s always been overrated, even in his U-20 days. Whilsts he shined at that level I always felt Miles Benjamin was the more intelligent winger. But most of the talk was about Cato. He hasn’t improved much over the last two years either -possibly his defence. However, he was outplayed by a not particularly on form Cohen when he played Sale and was woefully exposed, positionally by Hodgson’s tactical kicking.
I like the balance of the Saxons back-row, but both Wood and Dowson are carriers, rather than someone who can secure ball regularly at the breakdown. I assume Robshaw is covering for Haskell? Fearns is the other back-row forward who does that job well.
I think Barritt had a really good season last year, but has fallen off a bit this season. But who else os there?
January 31st 2010 @ 3:13am
Wavell Wakefield said | January 31st 2010 @ 3:13am | Report comment
Barkley is still to come back and JTH (I don’t like him either).
I thought Dowson looked pretty good with the 7 jersey the other week. I doubt he’ll be over the ball when playing at 8, but I’m sure he’s a flanker more than an 8.
January 31st 2010 @ 2:06am
Wavell Wakefield said | January 31st 2010 @ 2:06am | Report comment
‘Of the English players, what kind of expectations would they have, and how likely are they to be met, with the much greater numbers of ‘talent’ available to Johnson.’
The England team is a parallel of the Irish team: players who need to acquire match fitness, players who are genuine A players, and players who are genuine test understudies. A victory is vital, and then performance, IMO. I would imagine that performance is a slight irrelevance due to the erratic A team fixture list. England lack 1s, 8s and 13s, so Wood, Dowson and Waldouck have an opportunity to present their case.
January 31st 2010 @ 10:45am
Rugby Fan said | January 31st 2010 @ 10:45am | Report comment
Woodward’s observation is probably correct but it has often been so for the England team. I still remember that incisive rugby commentator Terry Wogan talking about the lock Dave Cusani who got his one full cap against Ireland in 1987. Wogan observed that if Cusani had been Irish, he probably would have had a run of games and picked up enough experience to be a competent operator. For England, he got one chance and played in a team which lost 17-0.
The cupboard wasn’t exactly bare when Woodward left although Andy Robinson had to work out how to balance retaining experience with blooding new players. Generally speaking, he got it wrong and I’m sure he prefers the more limited selection options he has in Scotland which allow him to concentrate more on the parts of coaching at which he is undoubtedly good.
The Viscount makes the important point that Woodward isn’t arguing that players are obviously world class now but that there is enough talent around for someone to select a team which can be consistently competitive as they play together. We’ll have a better idea whether Johnson is that man after this 6N.
Even now, it’s difficult to see who really has their position nailed down in the way that Johnson, Vickery, Back, Hill, Dallaglio, Wilkinson and Greenwood did. Easter and Delon Armitage probably do and Flutey is another possibility if he repeats the performance in last year’s 6N. Aside from those names, most would pick Shaw but still be uncertain if he could make it all the way to the next World Cup. Perhaps Sheridan as well when he gets fit and Moody if he stays fit.
Hartley looks like he might secure a first choice berth but he hasn’t done so yet. Borthwick appears to be under review and, as for the other positions, it’s still up in the air. Vickery can’t be certain of his place, while there are a bunch of wingers, centres, half-backs and back row forwards all in the mix for the other places. None of them have been completely embarrassed at the top level but few have left an indelible mark on the matches they have played where you can say “I know what he will bring to every game”.
I would hope that England are still prepared to let players make mistakes and that’s where we will really miss the lack of Heineken Cup games this season. It’s a great platform for young players to learn about making decisions when everything is on the line. Only Lawes, Ashton. Haskell, Hartley & Foden will see action from the senior squad while Geraghty & Myler do so from the Saxons. Haskell must be very happy with his move to Stade at this stage. Balshaw & Erinle will see more Heineken game time at Biarritz than any other England players this year.
February 1st 2010 @ 7:20am
Ian Noble said | February 1st 2010 @ 7:20am | Report comment
I think the Saxons v Ireland A game highlights the selection issue. Whereas the Saxons had a very small number of caps between and were largely experimental, the Irish team had over 200 caps and the core of the team was made up of very experienced players. Why probably because Ireland doesn’t have the depth to introduce a side with as few caps as the Saxons. It doesn’t help MJ with his future selection as how many of the Saxons will feature in the next game, and more importantly how many are ready to step up to the full squad? I was surprised that the Saxons won and the loss by the Irish probably has highlighted more future problems for Kidney, in that where are the new generation of players coming from, when the aging players retire. What is the pipeline?
For the inexperienced Saxons team they showed some enterprise in the first half and excellent defence in the second half when under alot of pressure by the Irish, who monopolised possession in the second half. To have beaten such an experienced side would have given them alot of satisfaction.
February 1st 2010 @ 8:22am
Wavell Wakefield said | February 1st 2010 @ 8:22am | Report comment
I think quite a few players could step up without being totally outclassed, Ian: Wood, Dowson, Youngs, Waldouck and Strettle. I was impressed by Doran-Jones during the Argentina test, but he looked naive today, IMO. Attwood was invsible, and Saul and Goode didn’t exert a great deal of influence either.
February 3rd 2010 @ 12:18am
Rugby Fan said | February 3rd 2010 @ 12:18am | Report comment
England:
D Armitage (London Irish); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), M Tait (Sale Sharks), R Flutey (Brive), U Monye (Harlequins); J Wilkinson (Toulon), D Care (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Bath), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), J Haskell (Stade Francais), L Moody (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins).
Replacements:
S Thompson (Brive), D Cole (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), S Armitage (London Irish), P Hodgson (London Irish), T Flood (Leicester), B Foden (Northampton).
According to one report, Lawes picked up a knock which ruled him out of contention for the bench. Interested to see the make up of the replacements bench. If one of the winger’s gets a knock early in the game, I hope Foden will go straight there even though he doesn’t have much experience in the position. The alternative would be to move Tait to the wing, Armitage to the centre and play Foden at 15 but I’d rather see the other two get game time in their chosen positions.
The first few scrums will be interesting. The Times rugby panel reckoned that referees are more reluctant to yellow card props in full internationals but the penalties still hurt.
February 3rd 2010 @ 12:57am
Pajovic said | February 3rd 2010 @ 12:57am | Report comment
England: D Armitage (London Irish); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), M Tait (Sale Sharks), R Flutey (Brive), U Monye (Harlequins); J Wilkinson (Toulon), D Care (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Bath), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), J Haskell (Stade Francais), L Moody (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins).
Replacements: S Thompson (Brive), D Cole (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), S Armitage (London Irish), P Hodgson (London Irish), T Flood (Leicester), B Foden (Northampton).
Reasonably happy with that! Tait is in!! finally after all these long years of Tindall, Noon and Hipkiss – an outside centre with pace!!!
Cannot believe that deacon makes the bench ahead of Lawes, (unless as Rugby Fan states above he picked up a knock) hardly an impact substitute, and Adam Jones will probably destroy Tim Payne. i see Care in ahead of my man Paul Hodgson but, thank the lord, no Banahan or Hipkiss
if Payne can hold is own, and he is going to be seriously pumped up after all the flak he has been getting, then I fancy Englands chances against the Welsh. The lineout will also be interesting.
February 3rd 2010 @ 2:47am
Ian Noble said | February 3rd 2010 @ 2:47am | Report comment
Pleased as a Quins fan that Care is playing, the 8/9 combination with Easter is key to fast ball. My concerns are that how will Wilko play? I hope he is more expansive as there is serious pace outside now that Tait is playing 13. The front five in particular Payne and Borthwick have serious question marks as to their international performances. Some in Oz might be interested to hear about current press speculation that Borthwick is being courted by the new Melbourne franchise as is Vickery (currently injured). With Croft being injured there may be lineout issues, although Easter is pretty effective.
February 3rd 2010 @ 2:50am
Rugby Fan said | February 3rd 2010 @ 2:50am | Report comment
Interesting that no club dominates the squad, let alone the starting 15:
Leicester 1 (3 replacements)
Quins 3
Irish 1 (2)
Sale 2
Wasps 2
Saints 1 (1)
Brive 1 (1)
Saracens 1
Bath 1
Toulon 1
Stade 1
A fit Croft might have added a Leicester player but, arguably, a fit Lawes would have kept another (Deacon) out.