Have your say: Tributes to Johnson tinged with dismay at the unfortunate blot against his record

The man who led England so valiantly on the field in the run-up to, and including, the 2003 World Cup triumph has fallen on his sword after a largely troubled reign as national team manager.

Whether it was Geoff Cooke, the former England manager; Hendre Fourie, the South African given a chance to forge an international career under Johnson; or Diccon Edwards, the young coach who worked with him at Twickenham, the consensus was one of dismay.

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A man who won 84 caps culminating in the country’s finest hour at the Telstra Stadium in Sydney deserves better.

Yorkshireman Cooke led England from 1987 to 1994, a period in which the team won two Five Nations Grand Slams.

In a curious piece of symmetry, he took over in the wake of a dismal World Cup campaign in New Zealand.

“I’m not surprised Martin has taken this decision but it is a shame because he is a good man,” said Cooke.

“He was a distinguished player and a great captain.

“He was badly let down by his players and coaching staff in New Zealand.

“It’s always sad when someone has to step down, especially after the career he has had.

“His record will inevitably now be diminished by this experience, that’s the problem with resigning in these circumstances. People forget about all the good moments that went before.

“And we shouldn’t forget that because he was a tremendous player and a tremendous leader on the field.

“It is just unfair how it has all ended.”

As for what Johnson does now, at 41, Cooke is unsure.

“I can’t see him really wanting to go into club rugby, but then again at 41 he is not in a position to retire,” said the renowned coach and administrator who is only recently retired from all things rugby.

“It will be interesting to see if he gets a job in the Premiership.”

Adopted Yorkshireman Fourie owes Johnson his international career.

The openside flanker was born in Burgersdorp, South Africa, but after being brought to English rugby by Andre Bester during his compatriot’s first spell at Rotherham Titans, he excelled in his first five years with the Clifton Lane men and then Leeds Carnegie.

It was while helping the Headingley side avoid Premiership relegation in the 2009-10 season that he first came to the attention of Johnson and the England team.

Fourie was named in the squad to tour Australia in the summer of 2010 only for injury to delay his debut until the start of the autumn internationals.

He debuted as a second-half replacement against the All Blacks and went onto win eight caps and earn selection for Johnson’s preliminary World Cup squad, only for a shoulder injury sustained in the final warm-up game against Ireland to end his hopes of competing in New Zealand.

Now with Sale, Fourie said: “I think he should have given himself another chance.

“If you remember Sir Clive Woodward, his England team were knocked out at the quarter-final stage in 1999 and they went on to win it four years later.

“So I believe Martin could have afforded himself that grace.

“I really enjoyed working under him and I’m really gutted for him.

“He had a real presence about everything he did.

“The way he carried himself as a player, he took that onto the training pitch as a coach.

“It was really good having him around, learning from him, knowing he was watching over you.

“He gave me my first chance and I will always be grateful for that.”

As for his own hopes of forcing his way back into the reckoning once he is cleared to play again in six to eight weeks, Fourie said: “Hopefully I can get back in before the Six Nations and force whoever is the next England manager to look my way.

“What was really frustrating for me was picking up the injury after only 20 minutes against Ireland.

“Because of that I’ve not been able to show what I can do for Sale or for England.

“I managed it at a struggling club like Leeds. Hopefully I can do it again for a side that’s playing better.”

Leeds Carnegie coach Edwards worked as Academy director and England Under-20s coach last season at Twickenham headquarters.

Now trying to mastermind Leeds’s immediate return to the Aviva Premiership, Edwards said: “It’s disappointing for Martin.

“Having met him a few times whilst playing at Leicester and also while I was with the England Under-20s last year, it is a huge disappointment to see someone of his standing take the decision to resign.

“I’m sure he feels he can’t recover from what’s happened and ultimately that’s what’s cost him.

“I felt though that having had those experiences, that made him the right person to lead the team into the 2015 World Cup.”

As for the man who will replace Johnson at the start of a new World Cup cycle, Edwards, like many, believes the RFU should take their time to make the right appointment.

He said: “England need to take stock and identify the person they believe will develop the team and the performance department over the next four years.

“Someone who has experience of the international game, who can provide true leadership of that group and can get the players to understand the requirements of playing for England, to make sure they show the right qualities both on the pitch and off it.

“Whether that be a foreign appointment would not concern me so much, I just think the qualities of the person are the key thing.

“You want them to show the right commitment and I’m sure they would, but ultimately you want them to show leadership qualities to drive the group towards the 2015 World Cup.”

Part of Johnson’s downfall was the behaviour of his players on and off the pitch in New Zealand.

It was a catalogue of embarrasing headlines.

Edwards, like his predecessor at Headingley Neil Back, is from the traditional rugby background of honest lads fighting hard and then sharing a pint in the clubhouse with opponents and spectators afterwards.

In the superstar culture of today’s environment, the sport has gradually moved away from such humble surroundings.

Edwards said: “There’s been a bit of a cultural shift, the players are much more in the public eye now.

“They have a celebrity status, especially the more high-profile players and that’s a dangerous road to go down.

“One of the beauties of the game has always been how grounded it’s been, how close players are to spectators, and if they lose that and get a little above their station then we will quickly lose the quality of rugby and (suffer) the off-field difficulties that gets them into.

“Whoever comes in will firstly have to re-establish that and lay the law down about the requirements of being an England rugby player.”

Martin Johnson: A brief history

1970: Born March 9, Solihull.

1989: Makes senior Leicester debut.

1993: Makes England debut against France at Twickenham.

1995: Enjoys Grand Slam glory and plays six matches in World Cup.

2001: Becomes first player in history to captain the Lions on two different tours.

2003: Becomes first England captain to lift World Cup.

2004: Retires from playing.

2008: Named England team manager.

2011: England win Six Nations but fail desperately at the World Cup in New Zealand. Resigns after three and a half years in charge.