That delivery results in Jackson Bird running out to the centre with replacement bowling boots for Johnson.
Its centre-left replacement will be in office for little more than six months before new elections in November.
James will be an experienced centre-back replacement for departing captain Gary Warren, who has left for Scotland.
Two Farrell penalties followed before Goode, a constant threat all evening with his quick feet and eye for a gap, freed the replacement centre, Mike Ellery, with a bullet pass.
In each instance the Bristol pack drove Rotherham backwards, the captain Dwayne Peel shredded the defence leaving the scoring to Marco Mama and then the replacement centre Jack Tovey.
When the replacement centre Andy Symons ghosted through Joel Hodgson and fed the winger Josh Drauniniu for a try in the left corner nine minutes from time, the issuing of the effective last rites on Worcester's Premiership status was suddenly deferred.
Ireland struck back in the 54th minute, when centre Rob Henderson, a replacement for O'Driscoll, ran onto a beautifully weighted chip from O'Gara to score a try, converted by the Munster fly-half.
Injuries and exhaustion forced the Dragons head coach, Paul Turner, to make nine changes, but clever kicking from the stand-in fly-half Shaun Connor and the replacement centre, Jason Tovey, had Gloucester three points adrift.
Two tries in as many minutes from the home full-back Martyn Thomas and the replacement centre Lewis Robling against one from the Ospreys wing Tommy Bowe had the crowd on their feet.
