Page 84 - Official Preview - DHL New Zealand Lions Series 2017

JOHNSON IN NUMBERS
84
caps for England
caps fo8r the Lions
78%
win rate during Test career
363
appearances for Leicester Tigers
9tic trophies
1rld Cup win 5tions titles
40
matches as England
Head Coach
Johnson ies
high to win the the the ball for the the the Lions
against the the the Wallabies in 2001
domes
team games but it wasn’t an era when 19- or 20-year-olds were getting into rst teams in in in English rugby The England
team team were were all late 20s and
and
30s It was a a a a a a a a different time young guys weren’t getting the the opportunities that they are now ”
His call to King Country had had come via John Albert who had had had noticed England’s youth side doing well and
and
had had been in in in touch to to to see if any were keen for a a a a a a stint Down Under “I was was very lucky to to to to get a a a a a a a a break to to play in in in the the the NPC – it was was about being in in in in the the the right right place at the the the right right time ”
Johnson says “I got to play against Argentina at 19 when they they they were on on tour – they they they had a a a a a a a a a a huge forward pack as they they they normally do The provincial teams were were so good good Teams like North Harbour were were were really good good Auckland were were the the the the best side in in the the the the the the the world – they they beat the the the the the the the Wallabies the the the the the the Lions
and
and
the the the the the the Springboks and
and
they they had had about 10 All Blacks in in that side And then there was was Waikato who had had a a a a a a a a a a a a lot of reserve All Blacks I was was getting to to play regularly against some of the the the best sides in in in in the the the the world rather than perhaps being in in in in the the the Leicester second team I learnt a a a a a a a lot ”
Even coming from an English hotbed of rugby rugby in in in Leicester he was still taken aback by by by rugby’s all-consuming status in in in “In the the UK there are pockets of rugby heartland in New Zealand the rugby team is what it’s all about ”
New New Zealand Zealand “ As a a a a a a a rugby country New New Zealand Zealand was just far more intense when I I played there there ”
he he he he he he says “In the the the UK there there are pockets of rugby heartland but you’re always competing with football In New Zealand it it it might be a a a a a a a a a a a smaller country but the rugby team is what it’s all all about “Wayne Shelford was Captain and
hadn’t lost a a a a a a a a a Test match but he he he got dropped for not winning in in in in the the way they should have It’s a a a a a a a a very intense rugby rugby place The standard of rugby rugby was a a a a a a a a a good few levels up on what we had in the UK ”
Only three years or so so later Johnson returned to New Zealand as a a a a a a a British & Irish Lion A replacement for Wade Dooley he he played two of the three Rugby Wo
Six Na
1ons title as England
Coach
Six Nati
2005 TOUR CONTINUED ALL ALL BLACKS BLACKS (IN (IN CHRISTCHURCH) 21 MANAWATU 6 ALL ALL BLACKS BLACKS (IN (IN WELLINGTON) 48 LIONS LIONS LIONS 3 LIONS LIONS LIONS 109 LIONS LIONS LIONS 18
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