Martin Johnson: 10 things you didn’t know about the legendary England captain
Rugby NewsWednesday, 26 June 2019 at 13:56
Being one of the most popular players on the globe is likely to generate an incredible fan-base globally, but we are fairly confident that there are some aspects of Martin Johnson’s life and career you are not familiar with.
1. Family life
Martin Johnson comes from a sporting family. His great-grandfather was a wrestler. His younger brother Will is also a former back row forward for Leicester.
2. American Football
Johnson briefly played American football for the Leicester Panthers as a tight end or defensive end.
3. New Zealand U21
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.
4. First job
Working in a nuts and bolts factory as a schoolboy in the summer holidays. I had a massive machine that I used to put nuts and bolts in. It was during the shutdown, so there was just a skeleton staff covering. I had this machine all to myself and I didn’t break it either.
5. Funniest story he's told
“Would the owner of the Volvo, registration blah blah, please move it, you’re blocking the ambulance.” At which point their tighthead, Gary Halpin, went “That’s my car!” and left us there for three minutes while he went to sort it out.
6. Honours
Johnson was awarded an OBE by The Queen in 1997, he was later honoured with a CBE in the aftermath of England's Rugby World Cup triumph in 2003.
7. Leader
His remarkable play and leadership helped England win the World Cup in 2003. He also led the Leicester Tigers to six league titles and consecutive Heineken Cups.
8. Dream dinner guests
"I’m setting the table for five. Napoleon and Wellington. That would be interesting. They only fought each other once and a lot of people say it was a score draw – it certainly wasn’t. I’d have Julius Caesar in there as well. Leonardo da Vinci. And Eddy Merckx, one of my sporting heroes.
9. Favourite Food
The legend loves biscuits, especially ginger nuts at first dibble.
10. Testimonial
Johnson's testimonial match and farewell to competitive rugby, held at Twickenham on 4 June 2005, was one of the biggest rugby events of the year. It was historic in another way as the match marked the return of All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu after a recent kidney transplant. Johnson's XV defeated Lomu's 33–29
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