Johnson facing swoop for Ford

MARTIN JOHNSON’S bid to keep his management team in place for the Six Nations could be undermined after it emerged Mike Ford is being considered for the England rugby league head coach’s job.

Ford, the former Oldham, Castleford and Wakefield scrum-half, is understood to be in the frame to replace Tony Smith, who resigned after the Four Nations final last Saturday.

The RFL have set up a four-man panel to find Smith’s replacement and a high-placed Twickenham insider said “gentle enquiries” have been made about Ford’s availability. It is likely the RFL panel will make an appointment before the start of the Super League in February, which coincides with the opening round of Six Nations.

Ford’s future as England’s defence coach has been called into question after Johnson’s management team was fiercely criticised in the build-up to Saturday’s 19-6 defeat by New Zealand. Johnson, who is under contract until the 2011 World Cup, made it clear he wants to keep his coaching team together and praised the way they had handled the pressure in a “tough week”.

But Twickenham’s director of elite rugby Rob Andrew will this week launch a review into England’s troubled autumn series amid calls for a clear-out of Johnson’s lieutenants. Will Greenwood and Josh Lewsey – the latter of whom worked under Ford and forwards coach John Wells at the 2007 World Cup – last week both demanded changes.

Wells, appointed at the same time as Ford, has been described as “stale” and there remain questions about how effectively his rugby philosophy dovetails with that of attack coach Brian Smith.

England scored just one try in the November series, in an insipid victory over Argentina, having hardly managed to ruffle any defensive feathers as they lost to both Australia and New Zealand. They were at least vastly improved against the All Blacks and stood toe-to-toe with the world’s number one team for the best part of an hour before falling off the pace.

England met the All Blacks with fire and brimstone and shortly before the hour mark were just 9-6 down, thanks to two Jonny Wilkinson penalties. But it was New Zealand who always looked the more dangerous side and go the key breakthrough when scrum-half Jimmy Cowan scored down the blindside. As England began to frantically chase the game they lost their attacking composure and any chance of a comeback was lost when Wilkinson spurned an overlap and then missed a simple drop-goal.

England’s defence has coped well this autumn and their high-pressure system helped to unsettle the All Blacks in the first half, but there remains a sterility about their attacking play.

Former England captain England should be boosted during the Six Nations by the return of key absentees, including Delon Armitage, Nick Easter and Riki Flutey though Joe Worsley tore medial ligaments in his right knee in the opening minute of Saturday’s game.

England scorers: Pens: Wilkinson 2.

New Zealand scorers: Tries: Cowan. Cons: Carter. Pens: Carter 4.

ENGLAND: Cueto, Banahan, Hipkiss, Erinle, Monye, Wilkinson, Hodgson, Payne, Hartley, Bell, Shaw, Borthwick, Worsley, Moody, Haskell.

Replacements: Tait for Banahan (72), Geraghty for Erinle (63), Care for Hodgson (70), Thompson for Hartley (49), Wilson for Bell (51), Deacon for Shaw (65), Croft for Worsley (2).

NEW ZEALAND: Muliaina, Guildford, C. Smith, Nonu, Sivivatu, Carter, Cowan, Woodcock, Hore, Franks, Thorn, Donnelly, Thomson, McCaw, Read.

Replacements: Ellis for Cowan (71), Afoa for Franks (58), Boric for Donnelly (58), Kaino for Thomson (58). Not Used: de Malmanche, Donald, Ellison.

Referee: J Kaplan (South Africa).