KEEP EXILES OUT
Johnson: England right not to pick overseas stars
THE formidable figure of Martin Johnson has waded into the debate about England’s refusal to pick players based overseas with an emphatic endorsement of the RFU policy which has divided opinion.
As a former manager of the national team, he has been at the sharp end of the selection process and as a World Cupwinning England captain and veteran of 92 Tests, he knows all about giving body and soul to the country’s cause. Armed with that perspective, Johnson yesterday dismissed calls for the likes of Steffon Armitage and Nick Abendanon (below) to be included in Stuart Lancaster’s training squad — to be announced next Wednesday — for this year’s tournament.
While the supreme exploits of those two players for their French clubs, Toulon and Clermont Auvergne, have heightened the clamour for their exile to end, Johnson insisted that the RFU policy must continue to be observed, despite the existence of an ‘exceptional circumstances’ clause.
‘Ultimately guys know the rules,’ he said. ‘Whether it’s “exceptional circumstances” or not, it doesn’t matter. If they wanted to put themselves in a situation to play for England — like all the guys in England are doing — then come over and play here. It’s as simple as that.
‘When I was doing the England job, we had guys go (to France) before the rule was there. It created issues for us and a lot of issues for the players at times. I can understand on a number of levels why the rule is there. If you’re a player and you want to play for England, you know what to do.’
In Johnson’s eyes it is a simple equation — those with international ambitions should demonstrate the fervent will to realise them, by being in the right place at the right time.
‘The No 1 criteria for any rugby player is that you desperately want to come and play,’ he said. ‘If you desperately want to come and play, then you could’ve got yourself over here for this year to get yourself in a World Cup.
‘I loved playing club rugby. Winning European Cups is fantastic, but ultimately if you’re good enough you want to have the best opportunity to play for your country in the biggest games of all, which are Test matches and World Cups.’ The stance of the RFU has been strongly backed by coaches in the Aviva Premiership, and yesterday Northampton’s director of rugby, Jim Mallinder, added his voice in support. Asked how important it is for Lancaster to stick to the policy he said: ‘ On the club’s behalf I think it’s vital. We could see lots of our players going overseas, particularly going to France, if Stuart started picking overseas-based players regularly.’
‘I think it (removing the “exceptional circumstances” clause) would remove any ambiguity and stop any of the dilemma going on. That would be the easiest thing to do.’ Meanwhile, the Saints are preparing once again to be without their Wales and Lions wing, George North, for the East Midlands derby against Leicester at Welford Road on Saturday. The 23-year-old has been out of action since his latest concussion six weeks ago, but Mallinder played down concerns for North, expressed by Wales coach Warren Gatland.
‘We know what Warren’s like, he enjoys a few mind games,’ he said. ‘ He’s looking after Wales, and himself. We’ve got to look after George North and that’s what we will do. He’s doing well, he’s improving, but he won’t play this weekend, it’s still too early.’
WASPS scrum- half Joe Simpson will need six to eight weeks to recover from a knee-ligament strain which is likely to wreck his hopes of making the England training squad, announced on May 20.