Mick Cleary finds few points to cheer England manager Martin Johnson following the latest round of Heineken Cup games in The Daily Telegraph.
"There are other factors to explain the apparent fall from grace of English clubs. The demise might be short-lived, although the clubs themselves have long pleaded their lack of clout in the commercial market place when up against the big-spending, non salary-capped French sides. Squads are bigger in France, and those resources are beginning to tell.
"Of course, you have to acknowledge the role of good fortune in all this. The summer bad boys, Bath and Harlequins, were unlucky to succumb to Stade Français and Toulouse, respectively.
"However, elite competition is all about closing out the deal, delivering under pressure, coming through adversity and getting across the finish-line first. Johnson was a master of manoeuvring himself and his teams into just that sort of productive end game. Some may call it luck, wise owls call it the winning mentality.
"Johnson is not the type to panic. The elite player squad agreement was designed to help offset the residual difficulties of injury and fatigue. If he can get through this weekend without further mishap Johnson will feel he has a fighting chance."
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