“He was such a capable person, a good man with such integrity and high standards. He could have saved himself by cutting a couple of us coaches after the last World Cup, but he wouldn’t do it because he didn’t believe in it.

“He couldn’t just turn a blind eye to something he felt wasn’t right, so he left himself. We’ve had to live with the actions of a few young men who went a bit silly and the consequences of a poor 20 minutes against France, but we were also mindful that coaches like Clive Woodward and Graham Henry were given a second crack.

“If you put Johnno in charge of the current coaches, he’s the sort of bloke who can provide the level of leadership England need. He climbed the mountain as a player and, after the experience he gained managing at a first World Cup, it’s crazy he’s not still involved.”

Smith was full of praise for Stuart Lancaster’s predecessor, Johnson, but was less complementary about the incumbent English coach.

“Stuart Lancaster’s got a good coaching crew – Rowntree is clearly a world-class forwards coach, Farrell is the general and Catt’s a brilliant bloke who’s been there and done it – but for me there’s been a lot of rhetoric,” said the former Irish International Fly Half. “They’ve missed one of their targets to be second in the world going into the World Cup and questions will now be asked of Stuart.

“Stuart’s very conscious of managing the media message, but coaching is a results business and he’s been at the helm for some time now. On the big occasions, the big moments, England are being squeezed out and the honeymoon is over.”

Source of article: The Rugby Paper