- Title: RUGBY-WCUP/JOHNSON Johnson likes world cup warm-ups and drop goals
- Date: 12th August 2015
- Summary: FILE - SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA (NOVEMBER 24, 2003)(ORIGINALLY 4:3 MATERIAL) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WORLD-CUP WINNING ENGLAND RUGBY UNION TEAM INCLUDING JOHNSON WITH TROPHY ON AIRCRAFT STEPS
- Embargoed: 27th August 2015 13:00
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- Location: Australia
- Country: Australia
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA8QDW50PCLXTPX80C08FVZL4NZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: = PART CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL =
A barely noticed incident in a long-forgotten warm-up match perhaps was key to England winning the Rugby World Cup in 2003, says the man who lifted the Webb Ellis trophy on that Sydney night 12 years ago.
As England prepare to face France on Saturday (August 15) in the first of three warm-ups for the 2015 home tournament, Martin Johnson believes those matches can have an impact far beyond the obvious settling of selection issues.
In August 2003 England, with only a handful of regulars in the side, lost 17-16 to France in a pre-world cup match Marseille in what turned out to be their only defeat in 25 matches.
And while famous away victories over New Zealand and Australia two months earlier are more commonly cited as key stepping stones to their world cup victory, Johnson revealed that the Marseille defeat made a particularly useful contribution.
"The interesting thing with that game was it was the only one that we lost in 2003. We had an opportunity to drop a goal at the end of the game to win it, we were in front of the posts and the guys took the game, took the ball to the left hand side. So they moved the ball to the left and when the drop goal opportunity came it was from wide out at a bad angle and we didn't get it," Johnson told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday (August 12).
He did not directly link that incident to Jonny Wilkinson's cup-winning drop goal, but believed a lesson was learned.
"It just adds to it. Was that in people's mind (in 2003 world cup final)? You know, you often can say things. Well I was watching that (warm-up match) in the crowd thinking 'don't, don't', you know, 'where are we going?'. Because if you're making that pass directly backwards to drop the goal, the defence has all that way to run. The defence has to be in-field, it cuts down massively the room you have and they're going to be straight in your face," said the former England and British and Irish Lions skipper.
Wilkinson's drop goal was this week voted 'The most priceless moment in World Cup history' in a survey by a 2015 tournament sponsor.
Having captained the Lions when a Jeremy Guscott drop goal clinched the series in South Africa in 1997 and played in the 1995 World Cup quarter-final when Rob Andrew's beat Australia, Johnson is, unsurprisingly, unapologetic about "resorting" to that route, despite often widespread derision from some in the southern hemisphere.
"That's a classic: 'Oh you kick goals'; you know, 'that's not the way to play the game'. When the game was invented if you didn't kick a goal you didn't win! That's why it's called rugby football, you know, it's part of the game. Drop goals have always been there," said Johnson, who was also England manager.
England and Australia will meet again in the 2015 tournament, this time in the pool phase where they also face Wales, an in-form Fiji and Uruguay. Getting out of that pool will be a challenge, but winning it looks key as the runners-up will most likely have to get past South Africa and New Zealand to reach the final.
Johnson, whose spell as England coach ended with their meek quarter-final loss to France in the 2011 World Cup, is confident that England will not suffer the ignominy of going out before the knockout stage for the first time.
"Yeah, it starts first kick for England and doesn't really drop off; maybe the last pool game against Uruguay will be a little bit different. Yeah, but it's pros and cons, you've still got to fight it out of that group and a good team's going to go home out of that group," said the former Leicester second row.
He said previous England head coaches have often often had to contend with team inconsistency because of injuries and the erratic form of some players, but Stuart Lancaster looks to have a more experienced squad.
"I think that's been a frustration for England coaches for 10 years, you know, 12 years. Injury, loss of form seems to take - you know, every couple of years seems to be an almost rebuilding, transitional period. So yeah, I think the good thing with that is he has a wider base of experience in the group," said Johnson. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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