Johnson relishing World Cup clash

Dec 2 2008

England manager Martin Johnson predicted a "hell of a game" against Scotland when the two old enemies meet in the group stages of the 2011 World Cup.

Both sides avoided Tri-Nations super-powers New Zealand, South Africa and Australia and Johnson knows England's second World Cup encounter with Scotland - the first was a 9-6 victory in the 1991 semi-final - will be a seismic occasion.

"Playing Scotland in the World Cup will be a hell of a game, with huge passion. We haven't played them in a World Cup since 1991. That was a tight game," he said.

They are joined in Pool B by fourth seeds Argentina with the final two berths to be filled by the leading European qualifier - possibly Georgia or Romania - and a play-off winner. In 2007, that was Portugal.

England's potential quarter-final opponents will come from Pool A and are almost certain to be either New Zealand or France.

It is hard enough for Johnson, as pragmatic a coach as they come, to consider what might happen three years hence, nevermind predict potential knock-out opponents.

Johnson refused to buy into the theory that England had escaped lightly in Monday's draw just because they avoided Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

"Scotland were quarter-finalists last year, we finished second and Argentina finished third," said Johnson, who played in England's World Cup win over the Pumas in 1995.

"Argentina have been successful. They went to the World Cup in 2007 and came through the toughest pool of all and they could have got to the final.

"If you want to get to the last week of the World Cup you need to be good enough to beat the best in the world. Whoever we got in the pool doesn't change anything in that regard."