“Martin Johnson is not bitter about axe,” says Brian Smith
Just 12 months ago, England were running ten tries past Romania in the group stages of the World Cup, but the Red Rose campaign ultimately ended with a quarter-final exit to France and the noxious fallout cost Johnson his job.
While his lieutenants – Smith, John Wells and Mike Ford – have all since returned to the club game, Johnson has remained outside rugby.
But London Irish director of rugby Smith, who remains in close contact with Johnson, told the Rugby Paper that it won’t be long before either England or Leicester come knocking at his door again.
“I am sure the people at Leicester and, at some point, the people at the RFU will realise that they have got an absolute gem on their hands in Martin with so much offer,” said Smith who was Johnson’s attack coach.
“He is such an intelligent bloke, he’s very measured and a wonderful leader.
“You have to remember the RFU begged him to get involved after 2007. He did not go asking for it.
“I am in touch with him. He has no ego whatsoever and he’s not bitter at all. I feel bitter for him.”
Smith points out that the 19-12 loss to Les Bleus was just England’s third loss in 13 games in 2011 but all that – as well as a first Six Nations title in eight years – has been forgotten amid tales of blondes, dwarfs and ferries.
Smith remains angry at the manner in which Johnson carried the can for the misdeeds of others:
“We (the other coaches) can hide behind our stats but you have a guy like Martin Johnson who has so much to offer to our game and he’s been hung out to dry.
“A few players do something relatively reckless and then compound it. Then there’s a debacle and some people have a lot to answer for in the way they behaved in the review process.
“People should have got behind him straight away and said Martin Johnson is the guy to take us forward.”
DANIEL SCHOFIELD
