Martin Johnson has urged England to keep their eyes on the prize and focus only on winning Sunday’s ‘backyard brawl’ with France.
Eddie Jones names his line-up for Paris today fresh from putting the Six Nations on red alert by declaring his intention to turn England into the ‘greatest rugby team the world has ever seen’.
Johnson has a better idea than most of what that entails, having led the only successful World Cup mission in Red Rose history, and he respects the ambition shown by Jones on behalf of his players.
He also knows that not giving France your full attention can have grave consequences.
“Playing a French team in France should never be underestimated,” said the Leicester great, who enjoyed a legendary career but still won 'le crunch' only once in four visits to Paris.
“The thing is with the Six Nations it’s like a bit of a backyard brawl. Sometimes you've just got to win the game, when you're away from home particularly.
"It might not be the prettiest thing you ever saw but take the win: fight for it, battle for it, scrap for it, get it, walk off, go home and get ready for the next game.
“It’s winter, you don’t always get beautiful conditions. Some days you’ve got to roll up your sleeves, subdue a team and strangle them to death, if that’s what needs doing - club them to death before they club you!”
From what he saw in Japan, Johnson likes the look of this England set-up. They might have fallen well short in the biggest game of their lives, but he reckons they will take “huge” confidence from their progress to the final.
“They put Australia away pretty well then put New Zealand away in a manner no-one thought anyone could put New Zealand away,” he said.
“They just missed out on beating the big three southern hemisphere teams on consecutive weekends at a World Cup which would have been unprecedented.
“That pain will linger, of course it will. And in a way you’d want it to. Because you want to thrive off that and use it as your motivation.”
Johnson will be at Stade de France as a pundit before turning his gaze to Miami where his beloved San Francisco are trying to beat Kansas to win their first Superbowl for 25 years.
The 49ers have transformed themselves this year from a team which lost 12 of their 16 games last season including all eight on the road - and Johnson reckons France, without a Six Nations title in 10 years, are capable of a similar turnaround.
“There’s such ability in that squad,” he warned. “If they've got a whiff of regaining the love of the rugby public, they could be fantastic."
New coach Fabien Galthie has named two uncapped players to start in Montpellier fullback Anthony Bouthier and prop Mohamed Haouas from the same club.
Romain Ntamack, whose dad Emile played alongside Galthie against Johnson in the 1990s, gets the nod at fly-half, partnering Antoine Dupont in a half-back duo with just 43 years on the clock between them.
With Racing superstar Virimi Vakatawa alongside Gael Fickou in midfield, Johnson is right to be wary of the potential of this team.
“But Test rugby doesn’t always happen the way you want it to or the way you think it might,” he warned.
“It will be fascinating to see the crowd’s reaction to them because I don’t know how patient French fans are.
“If things aren’t going well during the game they might let them know."
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