Retirement D-day for hero Johnson
 |
Martin Johnson savors the moment of triumph in the World Cup final.
Story Tools
|
LONDON, England -- Martin Johnson, who led England to their World Cup triumph in Australia last November, is widely expected to announce his retirement from international rugby on Saturday.
A statement from his agents issued on Wednesday said Johnson would reveal his intentions after the match between his club Leicester and Ulster.
Johnson, who turns 34 in March, has refused to comment on his intentions.
He has been troubled with Achilles tendon problems and a back problem, which has prevented him starting for his struggling club. He is also suffering from a cold.
After making his international debut in 1993 as a replacement for the injured Wade Dooley, Johnson has won 84 caps for his country.
He was also the first person to lead the British and Irish Lions twice, recording a series victory over South Africa in 1997.
Acknowledged as the finest lock of his time, Johnson is now the most successful England captain ever.
He led his country to a Six Nations grand slam last year, then recorded consecutive wins over New Zealand and Australia on their off-season tour. The 25-14 victory in Melbourne was England's first over the Wallabies in Australia.
After a faltering start at the World Cup in Australia, England convincingly defeated France in the semi-finals.
They then beat defending champions Australia 20-17 in extra time in the final in Sydney, with Johnson giving a mighty display in the second row.
"I still haven't taken it in," he wrote in his autobiography. "Maybe that's the enormity of the prize, maybe it's the frantic, tense style of the victory.
"The question I have been continually asked over the past 18 months is whether the World Cup would be the end of my career.
"I still haven't thought it through fully. Eighteen months ago, I'd even considered retiring before the tournament."
