Johnno has got England back on track

After an honourable defeat to the Alll Blacks last weekend, England now face the no less daunting task of Australia. However, ESPN's very own Austin Healey is backing Martin Johnson's side for victory in The Daily Mirror.

There used to be this guy at Leicester who put himself about and got himself into scrapes. A big lad who knew how to make his presence felt, in a physical sort of way. He served bans for use of the knee, the boot and the fist.

Look how Martin Johnson turned out. Eighty-four England caps, a two-tour Lions captain, a World Cup-winning skipper and now England manager. I thought of the young Johnno this week when I sat down to chat with Dylan Hartley, the hooker he has selected to start in tomorrow's match against Australia.

Hartley is fortunate to be available, having got away with dropping his forearm in the face of All Blacks captain Richie McCaw. I told him so, saying that while it's great he wears his heart on his sleeve and plays with passion, he must learn from his boss.

England are suddenly getting an awful lot right. After years fumbling in the dark they have seen the light. They genuinely feel they've made a breakthrough with the squad, and not just because of Sydney, where they beat the Wallabies in June.

You get a real sense of direction when you're with them now. Where they used to dodge questions, they are quite happy to answer them because they are confident in what they're doing. The players are taking chances and backing themselves and for the first time in quite a while the public are happy to pay to watch them.

But - and, yes, there has to be a but when you've only won once in six games - they have got to start executing properly. Rugby is a game of control. And before you can control a game you have to have control of yourself.

Delon Armitage lacked it when his high tackle handed the All Blacks three points within a minute of him coming off the bench last Saturday. Hartley also lacked it with that challenge which could well have brought a sin-binning and another penalty for the opposition.

Both men must learn from Martin Johnson and how he turned out - not only as a captain but as a rugby player. And if they can't see it for themselves, Johnno must remind them. As he matured he rarely overstepped the mark, despite still being physically strong and dominant and playing on the edge.

Too often last week England had the opportunities but lacked control. Rugby is not rocket science. It's about focusing on doing the simple things well. It means throwing straight at line-outs, pushing hard in the scrum, getting about the field and making a nuisance of yourself at the breakdown.

In Dylan's case that means not trying to become the Richard Cockerill of the modern-day game by getting under the skin of the opposition. I thought England would beat the All Blacks and I think they can beat Australia. But to do so they will have to be quicker and more accurate in their execution.

They blitzed New Zealand's inside-backs but were not fast enough and left themselves open on the wide outside. And that lack of pace also meant when they had the ball they could not get wide quickly enough to do damage of their own.

Tomorrow is all about what they can do, not the Wallabies. Johnno preaches controlling the controllables. England did it in Sydney and won. To a man they must do so again.

Barton will never change

Joey Barton is in hot water once again for his alleged punch on Morten Gamst Pedersen on Wednesday night, and he claims his aggression is a natural instinct he cannot control, Henry Winter in The Daily Telegraph believes the Newcastle midfielder will never change.

Joseph Anthony Barton was born on a charge. When the controversial, complicated and inherently unpleasant midfielder gets around to writing his autobiography, and he can start scribbling during an imminent suspension, he can fill many pages by pasting in the Football Association and police charge-sheets scarring his career.

Barton can even print the odd apology like Thursday’s in his book. He can colour in the rest.

Some soft souls will seek to elicit sympathy for the Merseysider, pointing to a difficult upbringing in Huyton, reminding everyone that this is a sensitive young man plagued with inner demons, notably a combustibility when alcohol encountered adrenalin in his system.

They will praise Barton for the way he has tackled such problems, finding help from the good counsel of the Sporting Chance clinic.

Some naive observers will seek to stress that Barton does actually have a brain, that he can be thoughtful company. Good try but no cigar (too dangerous when Barton’s about). All these mitigating factors are just feathers in the wind, blown away by the sheer overwhelming weight of evidence against Barton. Bad is bad.

For Newcastle fans, a frustration must exist with Barton: he has been playing well, demonstrating commendable tactical discipline by excelling out of position on the right of Chris Hughton’s midfield four. Now this. Now this FA charge for violent conduct for punching Blackburn’s Morten Gamst Pedersen on Wednesday. Maybe he should move in with Kevin Nolan, Landlord to the Likely Lads. But maybe not. Andy Carroll and Joey Barton under the same roof would be like Mr Nitro and Mr Glycerine getting together.

Barton apologised for his latest transgression, an act of contrition that signals some self-awareness. He has embarrassed Hughton, who has consistently backed him, and had Gallowgate squirming. Actually, it’s laughable to claim Barton has let anyone down. No one, surely, can have harboured any serious expectations of maturity lurking within a 28 year-old who never learns. Barton’s utterly consistent: he’ll always let you down.

Barton once had the temerity to criticise Steven Gerrard, ignoring that the Liverpool captain has won many friends and admirers since rising from the same tough Huyton streets as Barton. The wry humour inherent in Gerrard prompted him to sneak down a hotel corridor during England week and leave his autobiography outside Barton’s door. Read and learn.

Gerrard has made something of his life. Barton has just made a mess, albeit with a few quid on the side. Gerrard will be remembered for Istanbul and Cardiff, for a Champions League final and an FA Cup final. Barton will be remembered for brawls, cigar-stubbings, assaults and now a punch on an innocent Norwegian. And there’ll be more. Joseph Anthony Barton was born to be charged.