Martin Johnson has hit back at his World Cup-winning team-mates Will Greenwood and Josh Lewsey for their public criticism of his England regime ahead of today's final autumn Test against New Zealand at Twickenham.

Greenwood's withering analysis of England's performance against Argentina and Lewsey's unflattering views on the current coaching panel have heaped further pressure on Johnson, less than impressed at how his former colleagues have piled in. "You don't like to see your mates turn into journos," said Johnson yesterday. "That's what Will gets paid to do but a lot of the time it reflects on those people more than it does on us. It's their choice to say what they like."

Johnson also suggested the flak had increased England's desire to upset the All Blacks today. "No one likes getting criticised but you put yourself in that position. You put your head above the parapet whenever you play or coach. Whatever people say it does get to you and players need to use that in a positive way. We know what we're trying to do and the key to it is winning matches."

The players are also determined to give the Twickenham crowd more to shout about, regardless of the weather. "We would be the first people to say our form last week wasn't good enough and we have to improve on that massively," admitted Lewis Moody. "We go in as underdogs but we will be chomping at the bit to put things right. This is the last game of the autumn series and you always want to go out with a bang."

The Rugby Football Union, meanwhile, is seeking a new chief executive following the announcement that Francis Baron is to retire at the end of the season. Baron, 64, will stand down next July after almost 12 years.