Corry predicts bruising HQ battle
Former England captain Martin Corry believes the Pacific Islanders will provide Martin Johnson with a physical start to his reign as Team Manager.
Former England captain Martin Corry believes the Pacific Islanders will provide Martin Johnson with a physical start to his reign as Team Manager.
Although Johnson was involved in the selection of the squad for the tour to New Zealand, the autumn series will provide the World Cup-winning skipper with his first real test of his new role.
And although games against the All Blacks, South Africa and Australia will follow at Twickenham, Corry claims the Pacific Islanders could pose their own problems on Saturday.
“The Pacific Islanders have not had a lot of time together so they are going to play to their strengths,” Corry said, speaking to Sky Sports News.
“Their coach has already said they will play with a very simple game plan.
“We should expect to win. They probably haven't got the power and organisation up front to guarantee them the ball.
“They have some exciting backs as we have seen in the Premiership – [Seilala] Mapusua and [Sailosi] Tagicakibau – but they probably won't get the platform in which to play off.
“We will win but they will knock lumps out of us in the process. It is going to test Jonno's squad as they are going to pick up one or two injuries. Four internationals in four weeks is a lot of rugby to play.”
Corry, though, believes his former Leicester Tigers team-mate is the right man to lead England back to the top of world rugby.
“First off he will bring a steely edge which I think you will have seen by the way England have played over the past few years that it has gone away,” he said.
“What he does is that he knows how to win. He is not interested in the style or manner that the result comes, he is just interested in the result itself.
“If you look at the World Cup final in 2007 the game itself wasn't a fantastic spectacle, but just look at how South Africa rejoiced when they won the World Cup. That is all people are interested in, winning quality silverware.
“Yes if you can win in style that is having your cake and eating it, but the most important thing is getting the results on the board first.”