Martin Johnson

About Martin Johnson

Martin Osborne Johnson CBE (born 9 March 1970) is a former rugby union footballer who represented and captained England and Leicester. He recently, July 1st 2008, became the new England team manager. replacing the current manager Brian Ashton. Regarded as one of the greatest locks to have ever played, Johnson led the England side to a Grand Slam and World Cup victory in 2003. He toured three times with the British and Irish Lions, becoming the only man to have captained them on two separate tours. He also led his club Leicester Tigers to back-to back Heineken Cup victories and won the league six times. Despite no coaching experience, he was appointed team manager of the national England rugby Union side in April 2008.

Johnson was born in Solihull in the West Midlands, the second of three brothers — his younger brother Will plays back row forward. At the age of seven, his family moved to Market Harborough, Leicestershire, where Martin attended Ridgeway Primary School, Welland Park School and Robert Smyth School, where his father still works as a caretaker. Johnson briefly played American football for the Leicester Panthers as a tight end or defensive end. In 1989 he was approached by former All Black Colin Meads to try out for the King Country side in New Zealand.

Johnson's trial run was successful and he played two seasons for King Country. In 1990 he was even selected for the New Zealand under-21 side which went on a tour of Australia playing a side that included another of the all-time great lock forwards, John Eales. However, in late 1990, Johnson returned to England because New Zealand wife Kay wanted to live in the UK. He played for Leicester Tigers from 1989 to 2005.