New Zealand assistant coach Wayne Smith has declared that Martin Johnson has too much "mana" to fail as England manager.

Johnson's position is under scrutiny as England stumble through an autumn schedule that, according to the Rugby Football Union, will offer a fair gauge of the team's progress since he took charge last November.

So far the outlook is poor with defeat by Australia and an insipid victory over Argentina thrusting his lack of management or coaching experience under the spotlight.

And with the mighty All Blacks, who have been restored to the summit of the world rankings, visiting Twickenham on Saturday the crisis facing Johnson is sure to deepen.

But Smith, a former head coach at Northampton, insisted England's World Cup-winning captain has too many qualities not to succeed.

"When I was over here, Martin was pretty regal," he said.

"He has got a huge heart and a lot of what we call 'mana' - spirit and respect. Because of that you can only think it will come right for him.

"Being a great player does not always translate to being a good manager but the qualities and values of a person does.

"He has got to transfer his skills and learn from experience, but that process is hard to accelerate.

"He is a quality person with great values and if I was a betting man, he would be the one I would back. I believe he will be successful."

The current England team is a far cry from the side that Johnson led as one of the sport's most feared competitors in a playing career topped by lifting the World Cup in 2003.

He has placed that hard-earned reputation at risk by becoming manager at a time when England possess few world-class operators and Smith believes his courage should be saluted.

"If you love your country and you love the team that you have given so much of your life towards and you are asked to do it then that is what you do," he said.

"It doesn't come down to personal egos. He has enhanced his reputation by putting himself on the line."

England's malaise ensures they are unlikely to contribute positively to the traditional autumn battle against the Tri-Nations giants.

With France beating South Africa and Ireland drawing with Australia, last year's abysmal total of a solitary victory - secured by Wales over the Wallabies - has already been surpassed at the midway stage.

But this season the focus has shifted away from the perennially one-sided contest between the hemispheres and onto the poor standard of rugby being produced across the board.

Even the All Blacks have been afflicted and Smith claimed the win-at-all-costs mentality prevalent in European teams is affecting the game as a spectacle.

"If you ask the people that fill the Premiership grounds and go and are filling the grounds in Italy you would say the tribal nature of it is as important as the spectacle," he said.

"For us in the southern hemisphere there is a bit more pressure to provide a better package.

"When I was up here I thought the tribalism transferred to the national teams.

"The style England play is a result of the pressure they are under - there is a lot of pressure to survive in the Premiership and get into Europe, which is a gravy train.

"They don't want to lose rather than going out to win."