Johnson wants Lion Woodward

Dream team: Martin Johnson with Clive Woodward

14 April 2012

Martin Johnson today announced he will not play for the British Lions again - but called on Clive Woodward to coach them in 2005.

The England rugby captain, 33, said he will be too old and "even slower and more decrepit than I am now" for the tour of New Zealand in two years' time.

Johnson, whose autobiography is released tomorrow, says in the book: "I would have swapped anything, apart from our World Cup win, to have won that last Lions series Down Under (in 2001). I have played my final game in a red shirt and it was a losing game."

Johnson believes the seven-week tour and three-Test series against the All Blacks will be even more difficult than the last Lions tour of Australia.

"A lot of problems we faced in Australia will be multiplied for that party. They'll experience plenty of travelling, late-night kick-offs, intense scrutiny from both home and foreign media, thousands of expectant travelling fans, and a Kiwi public who will be reluctant to leave them alone.

"To make matters worse there will be no easy games. In New Zealand, every team is good enough to beat you on its day, and every team desperately wants to beat you." Johnson, who has made himself available to play for Leicester this weekend, believes Clive Woodward is the perfect candidate to lead the Lions.

"They will need a good coach. I think that, if possible, he has to be from these islands. As things stand, Clive must be favourite, though there will be a natural reluctance to make the party too English."

Bill Beaumont, the chairman of the British and Irish Lions committee, also urged Woodward to throw his hat in the ring.

"We're certainly hoping Clive will make himself available," he said.

"He's an outstanding candidate in all regards. I had a couple of brief words with Clive when I was in Australia but only to mention it would be good if we could talk after the team's return.

"I'll be seeing Clive in the next couple of weeks and also sounding out his employers at the Rugby Football Union."

Beaumont said that before professionalism, being picked for the Lions was "the ultimate goal for a player" although he admitted he couldn't imagine it eclipsing England's World Cup success.

Meanwhile, the triumphant World Cup squad will reassemble on Monday 8 December to undertake a victory parade in London before meeting the Queen at Buckingham Palace, followed by a trip to 10 Downing Street.

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