Martin Johnson is expected to announce next week whether his last act as an international player was to lift the Webb Ellis Cup in November. Not even those close to him in rugby know what he will decide.
The 33-year-old Johnson, who has captained England in 39 of his 84 Tests and led the Lions on their 1997 and 2001 tours, is due to meet Clive Woodward within the next week to talk about his international future.
Johnson has not cut the happiest of figures since returning from home Australia with his club Leicester struggling. He was substituted at half-time against Gloucester at Welford Road on Saturday, suffering from a back complaint that could rule him out of Sunday's Heineken Cup match against Ulster at Ravenhill, as the Tigers slipped to their fourth home league defeat of the season.
Current England squad members have, anonymously, said in recent weeks that they expected Johnson to retire from Test rugby and carry on for Leicester until the end of the season, but one said last night: "I have no idea what he will do and I am not totally sure that he does yet either. He has kept everything close to his chest and it may be that he is looking for Clive to convince him to stay on."
"Martin has not made any decision yet," said his agent Tim Buttimore last night. "He should make an announcement within the next fortnight, probably at the end of next week."
The England coach Woodward last month expressed his hope that Johnson would stay on.
Replacing him as a second row would be difficult enough, though both Danny Grewcock and Simon Shaw are experienced forwards who have toured with the Lions, but it is as a leader that he would be especially missed.
Woodward is already having to make changes for the Six Nations with the centre Mike Tindall out for nine weeks with an ankle injury, while Jonny Wilkinson and Richard Hill both face a couple more weeks on the sidelines with neck and nose problems respectively.
Mike Catt and Lewis Moody are also doubtful starters for the opening championship match against Italy in Rome on February 15, while the scrum-half Matt Dawson has only tasted 28 minutes of action since the final.
