Scotland hooker punched so hard by ex-rugby coach he was 'opened up like a zip'
Former England head coach Martin Johnson once landed a punch on former Scotland hooker Robert Russell which was so powerful it "opened him like a zip."
That is according to Johnson’s former England team-mate David Flatman, who witnessed the incident first-hand. Leicester Tigers legend Johnson is widely known for his three-year tenure as England's head coach, during which he rarely lost his cool in the public eye. But the same can't be said for the retired lock's persona during his playing career.
‘Johnno’ was the first guest on the inaugural episode of the Stick to Rugby podcast, alongside Flatman and Tom Shanklin, as well as Rugby World Cup winners Lawrence Dallaglio and Katy Daley-McLean. And Flatman chose a particularly memorable story to introduce the towering presence.
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"We’ve gone large. Lawrence has made the call, so it happened," Flatman said as he introduced the podcast's first guest. "Shanks, we were playing against Leicester for Saracens, and he [Johnson] punched our mate Robbie Russell. Opened him up like a zip. Johnno got a yellow card, sure, but so did Robbie - for getting chinned.”
Australia-born Russell must have felt some injustice at being penalised for receiving a punch to the cheek. The former Scotland hooker was left with a gash on the side of his face, while Johnson came out unscathed.
That was visually, at least. The five-time Premiership winner received a three-week ban for his blow to the Sarries star, but his reputation clearly recovered as he was appointed as England's head coach just six years later.
Johnson's tenure as England coach left much to be desired, however. It ended abruptly after their quarter-final exit at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Despite winning 10 of their last 13 games under Johnson, England fell short against a French team they had previously beaten at Twickenham earlier that year.
Fast forward to today, and England could certainly use some of that fiery spirit in Saturday's 2025 Six Nations opener against Ireland. Steve Borthwick's men face a tough challenge starting their tournament against the reigning champions, although England did manage to secure a victory over Ireland at the Aviva Stadium nearly 14 years ago when Johnson was at the helm.
That said, a bit more discipline than what he demonstrated with Russell could go a long way. Johnson remains an England icon despite a mixed spell in charge of his old team, showing more restraint as a coach than he managed on the field first-hand.
