Galwey: Johnson indiscipline not an issue
February 15, 2002

Ireland skipper Mick Galwey has insisted that Martin Johnson's moment of indiscretion in the Zurich Premiership last weekend will not be in an issue in tis weekend's Six Nations clash.

Johnson goes into the match under the cloud of a pending appearance at an RFU disciplinary hearing following the much-publicised punch he landed on Saracens hooker Robbie Russell.

But Galwey said: "I don't think that will be an issue. This is an international game and what happened last weekend in a club game is nothing to do with it. We will be concentrating on our team game."

Irish coach Eddie O'Sullivan refused to align himself with France's coach Bernard Laporte who criticised England's Clive Woodward for not dropping Johnson from Saturday's match.

He said: "We just look after our own discipline in the team and play within the rules. It isn't an issue for us.

"Once the teams are on the field tomorrow and the ball is kicked off, the Martin Johnson incident is of no consequence."

But both Galwey and O'Sullivan expect the massive presence of Johnson to have a big influence on the outcome and mean they face a much-improved England side from the one Ireland beat in Dublin in October.

Injury kept Johnson out that day as the grand slam was once again snatched away from England at the final hurdle.

"Johnson was missed in Dublin in the autumn," said O'Sullivan. "We know England are going to play better than they did in October. We had a good day out in Dublin but we can't dwell on it."

And although Ireland were tremendously impressive in outclassing Wales in the opening game a fortnight ago, O'Sullivan said: "You have got to move on and we have moved on from Wales as well.

"We have to got to play to a very high standard. To achieve the performance we did against Wales will be very difficult, to replicate that is a big ask because of the team we are playing against.

"England are a very solid unit. If you leave yourself open they can do you a lot of damage.

"They showed what they can do in beating South Africa and Australia, quite comfortably I thought.

"I would like to think we are expecting to play well and that is all you can do. The result takes care of itself if you deliver the performance of which you are capable.

"Coming off the win over Wales we have shown we can play well with ball in hand. If we can get a good platform in the forwards then we can play in the backs."

These are exciting times for Irish rugby and O'Sullivan added: "There is huge potential to have a very good side with a bit of balance and potential depth in the squad."

Galwey, a veteran of the Irish victories over England in 1993 and 1994, rates the October win in Dublin above those.

"That was the best England team we have beaten. It was the first time we had beaten them since the game went professional so that makes it special," he said.

"I won't say I can see any chinks in their side but every team is beatable."

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