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London - Martin Johnson received backing from an unlikely quarter when New Zealand assistant coach Wayne Smith said he would succeed as England manager.
Johnson may have been England's captain when they won the 2003 World Cup but doubts persist over the legendary lock's off-field abilities.
A record so far of six wins from 13 matches under Johnson is hardly impressive and last week's desperately limited 16-9 victory over Argentina led to the suggestion the longer he spends with the squad the more uninspired their play becomes.
England now find themselves up against an All Black side back atop the world rankings and with few giving much for their chances at Twickenham on Saturday.
But Smith, a former New Zealand centre who went on to become the All Blacks' head coach before taking charge of English Premiership side Northampton ahead of his return home to become a member of Graham Henry's backroom staff, said Johnson would come good despite a lack of coaching experience.
"When I was over here, Martin was pretty regal," Smith recalled Tuesday.
"He has got a huge heart and a lot of what we call 'mana' - spirit and respect. Because of that you can only think it will come right for him.
"Being a great player does not always translate to being a good manager but the qualities and values of a person does.
"He has got to transfer his skills and learn from experience, but that process is hard to accelerate.
"He is a quality person with great values and if I was a betting man, he would be the one I would back. I believe he will be successful."
Large sections of the England-Argentina match saw Johnson's men drawn into a dull and often aimless kicking battle with the Pumas.
And Smith said the England manager was in danger of becoming a victim of the safety-first approach which is engulfing modern rugby and from which even the All Blacks are not immune.
"If you ask the people that fill the Premiership grounds and go and are filling the grounds in Italy you would say the tribal nature of it is as important as the spectacle," Smith said.
"For us in the southern hemisphere there is a bit more pressure to provide a better package.
"When I was up here I thought the tribalism transferred to the national teams," he explained.
"The style England play is a result of the pressure they are under - there is a lot of pressure to survive in the Premiership and get into Europe, which is a gravy train.
"They don't want to lose rather than going out to win."
Both Johnson and Henry are due to name their teams on Wednesday.
