Martin Johnson's side won't linger in Scotland

Published on Friday 12 March 2010 23:05

ENGLAND manager Martin Johnson was on the defensive yesterday as he strove to deflect questions on why he had changed tack on usual Calcutta Cup plans by flying into Edinburgh just 24 hours before the game and heading back south within hours of the final whistle.

The England management broke with the tradition of a pre-match press conference in the city of the game and instead spoke to the media at their Surrey hotel base prior to heading north for a late afternoon captain's run at Murrayfield. They will leave tonight swiftly from the after-match dinner. Johnson smiled at the suggestion he was keen to avoid Edinburgh, particularly if they lose.

Johnson said: "Not going up until this afternoon allows us to train here and then travel and we want to give it a try because it's a long wait to kick-off and the players want to get there and then come back to be ready for the French game.

"We will have a walk around the stadium and we are giving it a try. There are two sides to every argument and I am happy.

"It's a volatile stadium, but they all are for England. We are playing away from home and silencing a hostile crowd is what it is about. The opposition will raise themselves and we need energy, urgency and passion and can't come second in that area, and then it comes down to execution and we cannot afford to get too carried away and must have clear thinking under pressure. That's the challenge when you go away in the Six Nations and the history makes it fun.

"I don't think it is more volatile than Ireland, Wales and France, but it is the first real big away game with a 60,000 crowd and all the history.

"I have played in Calcutta Cup games that were just two points and others of 30 points. There will be that tension and they will be desperate to win because they have lost all three and there will be tension and ferocity. We have to adapt on the hoof and find a way to win.

"We don't want to be sat there again in the dressing room having lost a tough match because that's not what we do it for. It would be a tough Saturday evening if we lose.

"But our guys must have the right mind set and enjoy the challenge of playing in volatile situations. I would much rather play in a hostile environment than a quiet one. They (Scotland] want to come off to big cheers and a first win of the season having beaten England and we want to come off to relative quiet with our third win."

He won support yesterday from former teammate and his predecessor as England captain, Lawrence Dallaglio. He rode into Murrayfield at the end of his round-Europe cycle ride to raise 1 million for Sport Relief and a host of charities. One Scot who joined him for the last leg was Andy Nicol, who was the Scottish captain when Dallaglio and his England teammates lost the Calcutta Cup here in 2000.

"I remember running down this tunnel as England captain and struggling to get on the pitch, in fairness, there were so many pipers – they were on the roof and everything – but I really enjoyed playing here immensely.

"We were beaten and obviously when you lose a game it's always disappointing, but when you lose to a team that plays better then you have to hold your hand up and accept that.

"But short-term failure equals long-term success in my book. We had some short-term failures. We failed to win the Grand Slam here, failed to win the Grand Slam the year before and the following year, and they were painful lessons we had to learn. But ultimately they helped us to the prize in 2003 (Rugby World Cup], so I wouldn't change it for anything."

Dallaglio shrugged off the question of whether he found it weird seeing his former England captain and coach now on opposite sides.

"It's about getting the best out of your team and to me you don't have to be from that country to get the best out of the players. When you're not from that country there's less emotional baggage and pressure that comes.

"But Andy is passionate and he'll want to beat England for himself and for Scotland, but we are very passionate as well and we look forward to playing here.

"It will be tough. In my opinion England probably start as slight favourites but that doesn't mean that they'll win.

"There are enough players in the team that have lost Calcutta Cup matches here so there will be no shred of over-complacency whatsoever; they've got no reason to be. It'll be very close as all Calcutta Cup matches are here, where the atmosphere can be intimidating and hostile and the England players to overcome that. I'm looking forward to watching it, especially seeing as I won't be getting on a bike the following day."

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