Martin Johnson says he has not spoken to the Rugby Football Union about renewing his contract as England team manager once his deal expires after the World Cup. England's campaign could end as early as next weekend if they do not qualify for the knockout stages but Johnson has not had any discussions with his employers about his future in the role.
"I haven't thought about it, it's not an issue," said Johnson, who has been in the job since replacing Brian Ashton in 2008. "I'm very happy with the situation; nothing's changed since day one when [the former RFU chief executive] John Steele came in. There's never a dull day but I've really enjoyed the tournament so far. I think it's been a good World Cup."
Johnson did concede, though, that he is experiencing a mixture of excitement, anxiety and nerves – "You have all those emotions" – as he enters the most pressurised phase of his tenure. While England could yet finish top of Pool B by beating Romania on Saturday and Scotland next week and advance to the quarter-finals unbeaten, nothing can be guaranteed.
"It's a different pressure than being a player but that's what World Cups are about," Johnson said. "They're all about handling the pressure and dealing with it in the right way. We know what it's all about on and off the field. We've had some things to deal with and we've dealt with them."
As yet no decision has been taken regarding Nick Easter's future participation in the tournament, with Johnson preferring to wait until Sunday before making a final call. Easter missed the 41-10 victory over Georgia after suffering a lower back injury and Leicester's Thomas Waldrom is on standby to replace him as an official member of the squad.
"Nick's progressing. We'll see where we are after Saturday," said Johnson. "We're hoping he's going to be good to go next week. All the signs are he will be and he thinks he's getting better. He's desperate to get back and play but we'll see how it progresses over the next 48 hours."
Waldrom could yet be added to the squad anyway as England have still not named a replacement for Andrew Sheridan, who was forced to return home because of injury. The decision will hinge on whether England, who move to Auckland on Sunday, pick up any further significant injuries.
