2015 Rugby World Cup: Martin Johnson calls England, Australia, Wales pool ‘toughest ever’

MARTIN Johnson has said being drawn in the “toughest pool” the tournament has known could yet benefit England, as long as they see off Australia to finish top.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 08: Michael Hooper of the Wallabies is tackled during The Rugby Championship match between the Australia Wallabies and the New Zealand All Blacks at ANZ Stadium on August 8, 2015 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

WORLD Cup-winning captain Martin Johnson has said being drawn in the “toughest pool” the tournament has known could yet benefit England, as long as they see off the likes of Australia and Wales to finish top.

But that’s easier said than done. Johnson, who skippered England to World Cup glory when they beat Australia in the 2003 final in Sydney, said the Wallabies ‘were utterly lethal when it comes to scoring tries out of nothing’ and is in no doubt of the scale of the task confronting the host nation.

England face Fiji, a side with a reputation for raising their game at World Cups, the Wallabies and familiar foes Wales on consecutive weekends in Pool A.

Martin Johnson was impressed by the Wallabies win over the All Blacks.

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The way in which Australia beat reigning world champions New Zealand 27-19 in Sydney last weekend to claim the Rugby Championship has been duly noted in the England camp.

But Stuart Lancaster’s side know that if they top their pool they will have a route to a Twickenham final that sees whoever is at the summit of Pool A avoid the ever-dangerous All Blacks and South Africa until the showpiece match itself.

“It’s the toughest pool there has ever been in a World Cup and someone will be going home early,” Johnson said.

“Whoever loses England v Wales, their next game becomes a must win. They’ll have to beat Australia just to stay in the tournament.

“But in a way it won’t do England any harm at all.

“It’s often the teams that have to fight and battle who will be in the best position come the end of the World Cup. If they win the group then it doesn’t really get any harder, at least until the final.”

England’s match against Australia on October 3 promises to be on the highlights of the group stage, with Johnson reckoning the Wallabies to be the world’s most dangerous side in broken play.

England coach Stuart Lancaster has quite a job in front of him.

“Australia can be utterly lethal when it comes to scoring tries out of situations where there’s nothing on, more so any other team in the world,” he said.

“They execute with their hands very, very well and suddenly they’re in. They score tries and that makes them lethal.

“People perceive they have weaknesses here and there, but they’re usually able to cover them up. They almost won a World Cup in 2003 when they couldn’t really scrummage.

“If England get ascendancy in the scrum and the referee penalises Australia, it makes a big difference to the game. If he doesn’t penalise, then it nullifies the advantage at the scrum.”

Originally published as 2015 Rugby World Cup: Martin Johnson calls England, Australia, Wales pool ‘toughest ever’