Nasty ankle injury for Johnson gives he hosts the edge....

Its a shame if he misses it.I hope we don't get loads of withdrawals.Of course i want us to win the series but want to see us beating the best they have to offer and hopefully that isn't a second string side.

Possible broken ankle. Such a shame, he is worth the admission money on his own. Improves England's chances but robs the fans of seeing a genuine superstar.

Benji Marshall has been playing ok and is likely to take the 7 shirt.

2nd best player in the world after Inglis IMO. Would be disappointed if Johnson doesn't play although it will boost England's chances.

Well, that gives the naysayers their excuse if England manage to beat the number one team in the whole world.

Enland to beat New Zealand?

What with, all the overseas 2nd & 3rd raters , at best, who "qualify" that are being signed left right and centre.

I would love to be proven 100% wrong but the current state of the game in this country and the pool of talent available isn't inspiring.

Jonathon Thurston would be hard to go past as the best in the World and the player that influences outcomes.

Never had NZ down as a one man team.

No you wouldn't, not one bit. See The Devil's Advocate's post above yours.

No doubt, this will mean that if you England win the series, we'll only have only beaten the NZ 'B' team. Just like 2007.

Is SJ certain to miss the tour?

If so, I'm gutted. I have been looking forward to seeing him play all year. I don't think it would 'cheapen' any England win FWIW, but I'm not really exercised about that.

I wouldn't be too sure that Benji would be his replacement, either. A lot of people believe he's burnt his bridges there. Although I don't know who else they'd go to in the halves. Assuming Foran at 6, who to partner him? Josh Hoffman? Lolo?

This is a shocking development. Shaun Johnson is arguably one of the six best players in the world, along with Johnathan Thurston (No 1), Gregory Inglis (No. 2), William Slater, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith. I do hope that the injury is not as bad as feared, and that he can make the tour. However the prospects are not good.

There is no comparable substitute. Benji Marshalll would be the best choice of those options available. However the NZ coach Stephen Kearney is a logheaded fool who apparently doesn't like Benji, for some ridiculous reason. The second option is to play Thomas Leuluai at half, if he is fit (he has been out for the season). However Leuluai had been earmarked for the hooking role. The third option is to bring Tuimoala Lolohea, the up and coming star, into the halves. I do not know what will happen because the blockhead Kearney (who broke Jarod McCracken's neck and thereby ended McCracken's career with a foul tackle many years ago) is making the decisions.

All in all this puts a damper on the upcoming series, which I and most French fans were looking forward to seeing.

Oh please shut up.

Kiwi press reporting that SJ's season is over.....

But saying that his season is over doesn't tell us whether his year is over. It probably is, but it depends on how serious the injury is.