England supremo Clive Woodward still believes Leicester Tigers' lock Martin Johnson is still the man to lead England provided he reclaims his Test team place.

That was the emphatic message from England boss Clive Woodward yesterday as a demanding November series against Tri-Nations heavyweights New Zealand, Australia and South Africa draws ever nearer.

A combination of injury, suspension and a much-needed summer break meant that Johnson saw his fellow Lions Matt Dawson, Neil Back and Phil Vickery all skipper England during the past 12 months.

The Leicester forward missed three Tests last autumn because he was injured, then returned for appointments with South Africa, Scotland, Ireland and France, before sitting out England's Six Nations stroll against Wales in March while he served a three-week ban.

Johnson was punished for punching Saracens hooker Robbie Russell during a Premiership game - an appeal against the sentence was subsequently dismissed - and he only made his comeback as a second-half substitute during England's Six Nations finale in Italy.

Along with several other star players, 67 times-capped Johnson took a breather when England toured Argentina in the summer, watching from afar while Gloucester prop Vickery masterminded an outstanding Test triumph over the Pumas.

But Woodward has made it abundantly clear that 32-year-old Johnson will be the man in charge when New Zealand arrive at Twickenham on November 9 - form permitting.

"Martin has had a rest, and from the reports I've received, he is back to his best," Woodward said.

"You have got to pick what you see, and I wasn't messing about with him when I didn't pick him against Italy, because I didn't think he was at his best.

"I personally believe that he will be right back to his best - if he's not now - in time for New Zealand.

"And if he is in the team, he will be captain, it is as simple as that. He knows that he has got to get in the side, but I believe he will get right back there," Woodward told Sky Sports' The Rugby Club.

Only Will Carling has captained England more times than Johnson, who first led his country in 1998 and also took charge of the 1997 and 2001 Lions.

Despite such a pedigree though, Johnson knows that he will not walk straight back into the England starting XV.

His Leicester team-mate Ben Kay is arguably England's first-choice lock at the moment, while Bath skipper Danny Grewcock - Johnson's Lions Test team second-row partner in Australia last summer - will also press strong claims.

But a fully fit and refreshed Johnson remains vital to England's cause, especially during the 13-Test build-up towards next year's World Cup in Australia.

England are among the favourites for global supremacy Down Under, yet Woodward remains predictably cautious.

"At this stage, I haven't got a clue if England have got any chance to win the World Cup. It's too long away," he added.

"At the moment, we are not saying anything about England's World Cup chances, because I don't think anyone knows. We are still an unknown quantity.

"But I just go back to this partnership we have with the clubs. It really does allow us now to plan properly, select the team properly and coach the team properly."