Thursday, November 17

Reaction to Martin Johnson's resignation - BBC - "Johnno didn't have the CV to do the job but the RFU backed him - regrettably he came up short"

Johnson's appointment was a gamble which failed when he tried to go it alone - The Telegraph - Wednesday's press conference, at which Martin Johnson resigned as England manager, was confusing. It was no different to many others where management-speak got in the way of the real issues and many questions remained outstanding.

Players cost Johnson - Greenwood - Planet Rugby - Former England boss Dick Greenwood believes Martin Johnson was let down by the 'juvenile' behaviour of some of his players at the Rugby World Cup.

Martin Johnson... a giant reduced to humbling exit - The Daily Mail - The famous beetle brow furrowed a final time as Martin Johnson discharged his last patriotic duty for England. Resignation in the air, resignation on the page, resignation in his eyes. He was given the opportunity to blame the boss sitting by his side, to blame his players, to spread the taint of failure across his staff. He chose instead to stand alone.

Out of his depth - Scrum.com - "He was the knight on the white charger who led England to glory as a player but it was too much to ask him to repeat the feat so soon as a manager." John Taylor writes

Mallinder as an old-fashioned head coach is the perfect candidate for the England job - The Telegraph - Jim Mallinder is the right man for the England job because he is the only one of the candidates who is a classic head coach prepared to get his hands dirty and build a team from scratch.

Martin Johnson will always be an England hero - but it is time to turn to someone like Jim Mallinder - The Telegraph - It was almost eight years ago to the day that Martin Johnson was being feted as a hero in these parts. On Wednesday he departed Twickenham a sadder soul, weighed down by the burden of failure that was England’s World Cup campaign. Sport’s wheel of fortune spares no man.

Why Johnson was the wrong man - New Zealand Herald - It was born under a bad sign - the stars were out of alignment from the start, thanks to the despicable, hole-in-the-corner way the Twickenham hierarchy behaved in ending Brian Ashton's tenure as the head coach of the England rugby team -and it ended in a black hole of the governing body's own making.

Martin Johnson: iron-clad lock who led England to their finest hour - The Guardian - Johnson's lack of coaching experience meant he should never have been appointed as national team manager

Johnson has done right thing by turning in his sheriff's badge - The Guardian - There is no question England will be a better side in four years' time but fresh eyes could make them better still

Continental shift - Sky Sports - Stuart Barnes says a thrilling, unpredictable weekend saw the Heineken Cup eclipse the World Cup

The final chapter in the book of Smit - BBC - John Smit reflects on ending one of the most illustrious international careers in rugby union

100,000 phases - Scrum.com - Following another breathtaking weekend in the Heineken Cup, this week's Scrum Sevens looks back at some unforgettable last-gasp moments involving Munster