Martin Johnson's appointment as England manager looked an extraordinary RFU made it over a year ago and it looks no less extraordinary now.

The Wallabies have dodged the guillotine in winning their first rugby international in France in eight years.

England flexed their forward muscle against Australia on Saturday and gathered their confidence before meeting the rampant New Zealand rugby juggernaut next weekend. In Saturday's internationals, New Zealand outclassed Ireland 45-7 to be halfway to a grand slam and England barged aside Australia 26-16.