Johnson relishing ‘big, big, game’ against Boks

MARTIN JOHNSON was barely able to contain his excitement on the eve of England’s showdown with South Africa as he told his men: “This is what you play for.”

Today’s clash at Twickenham is exactly the kind of confrontation in which he revelled as a player and captain.

South Africa, fired up following last week’s shock 21-17 defeat to Scotland, will pose England a physical challenge like no other team on the planet.

“I have tried not to talk too much this week because I get too excited. This is what you play for — there will be 80,000 at Twickenham and we are up against a good South Africa team,” said Johnson.

“It is going to be a big, big game. It is a cracking game to be involved in whenever you play South Africa. It will be very physical, intense and a great Test match.

“I don’t do this job for the money. To be involved with the England rugby team, you don’t get any better than that.

“You want those days we have had at Twickenham in the last couple of weeks. The players recognise that. It is a hell of a thing to be involved with.”

While the Springboks are under growing pressure following the Scotland defeat, England head into the game on the back of a record 35-18 victory over Australia and a tough 26-13 win against Samoa.

When Johnson was a player he could sense the mood in the camp. By his own admission, that is harder now because he is no longer “in the group”.

But returning captain Lewis Moody has his finger on the pulse: “There is a similar feel to the week of the Australia game. There is the angst in the air, a nervous energy that I like to see in the squad.

“You know then that people are prepared and ready for the game.”

England could move second in the world if they beat South Africa tomorrow, a lofty position they have not occupied since 2004.

Johnson puts no stock in the world rankings and he has been anxious to dismiss the notion that England are world-beaters just because they have beaten Australia home and away.

But heading into tomorrow’s game, he is confident of two things.

The first is that England will not back down from the physical “nose-to-nose” challenge posed by the South Africans.

The second is that he’s in charge of a promising team who can take a major step in their development by sealing England’s first victory over the Springboks in seven attempts.

“We want the England team to be a successful team that people can be proud of and we are on the right track,” said Johnson.

“We have an exciting team and I am not playing that down. This team is on an upward curve and everything goes into tomorrow.

“But we are nowhere near where we can be. The whole thing has only come together this calendar year. We are still building. We have done nothing yet.”