INTERVIEW: Jonny Wilkinson - England need to set Rugby World Cup marker

Steve Brenner 10:01 05/02/2015
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  • Sharp shooter: Jonny Wilkinson is regarded as one of the best out-halves in the history of rugby.

    When England walk out in what promises to be scintillating patriotic cauldron of Welsh noise on Friday, the weight of history will be bearing down on coach Stuart Lancaster’s shoulders.

    – Simon Shaw coaches future stars at HSBC Dubai Rugby Festival
     INTERVIEW: Gavin Hastings optimistic for Scottish rugby

    The start of any Six Nations campaign is always wrought with tension, hope, drama and dreams.

    This campaign has seen injury problems aplenty for half the sides without a scrum being contested. Yet with the World Cup looming firmly into the view, and considering Wales and England will meet in the group stages, the stakes this time around have multiplied.

    It’s incredible to think that 2003 was the last time England won the Grand Slam. What followed was even more magical.

    Jonny Wilkinson will never forget it. Now he wants a repeat. One thing stands out from a stellar XV which boasted the likes of Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Jason Leonard, Mike Catt , Matt Dawson et al. It was the momentum which flowed through Sir Clive Woodward’s side that helped push them towards even greater, more awe inspiring World Cup winning achievements later on that year.

    As Wilkinson sat down with Sport360 to discuss what lies ahead, the fly-half smiled at the memories of those golden games while fearing the likes of Ireland and the Welsh are in far better places now.

    'The positive energy feeds the desire, the desire feeds the win' – Wilkinson

    England, savaged by injuries, are limping towards the start while their last visit to Cardiff saw their Grand Slam dream crushed with a 30-3 thrashing. That still hurts. A strong tournament though would provide a huge boost for the hopes of landing a second World Cup. 

    “It is hard to realise it at the time but, retrospectively, it is much easier to see just how much momentum we had going to Australia,” said 35-year-old Wilkinson who was in New York being awarded an Anglo- American Cultural award by Manhattan
    based expat charity, the St. George’s Society.

    Jonny Wilkinson gives instructions during quarter final two of the 2011 IRB Rugby World Cup against France.

    “It makes decisions easier and it is not because you have earned the right or created the situation, it is more that players just get used to each other, get used to doing the right thing, they feed off each other, they feed off the spirit of the group.

    “The pride gets to such a high level – you think that when you get the must win games, relegation battles etc that is when guys want to win most. But, in fact, it’s when you’re winning all the time. It is always about winning the next one and that is why winning streaks can go on for such a long time. The next one becomes more and more important. People want it to keep going. The positive energy feeds the desire, the desire feeds the win, and round and round you go.”

    Creating characters

    Considering the frequency in which Lancaster has been forced to rip up plans and start again, Wilkinson isn’t surprised to see the doubters out in force. After all, since those magic days of 2003, England have won the Six Nations just once – in 2011.

    Nevertheless, in the five out of the last six tournaments, they have finished runners-up.

    “When I was playing, I knew just how tough these games are and you really have to give respect to the opposition. There are some great teams in the Six Nations and you get such a clear idea of just how much you have to build momentum.

    “People think that is just came because we got used to each other but we went through the Tour of hell in ’98, a failed World Cup in ’99. Failed in three Grand Slam deciders – all of those difficult patches provided us with so many challenges.

    “Yes, we had some great characters with the likes of Laurence, Jonno etc but they weren’t great characters straight away.

    “They built that kind of amazing stature by going through some tough times day in, day out. It took us years to get to that point. Yes, we got the Grand Slam in 2003 but we did because we were ready.”

    Ireland, also suffering injury woes, are the pre-tournament favourites and the defending champions. They will be discovering, though, what life will be like without the inspirational Brian O’Driscoll.

    Ireland are the defending Six Nations champions, but may struggle without the presence of key man Brian O'Driscoll.

    Wilkinson knows danger lurks at every corner. With Scotland showing some signs of promise, only Italy can really be discounted as being able to mount a serious title push.

    “You have Ireland who are clearly looking very good, they can boast having this kind of being on the brink of turning the psychological corner and being arguably letting New Zealand get away with it at the back end of last year, “ he admitted.

    “But having beaten both Australia and South Africa, and doing it honestly, and also, on top of that, they are going into the tournament full of confidence and deserve to be where they are right now. They have good leaders and energy so they will be a team to watch.

    “But recent results have shown Scotland, France and Italy are all in the mix too. The Six Nations is the only chance we have for people to lift themselves above the line and show we are real contenders.”

    Options at No10

    How Lancaster would love to have Wilkinson in his pomp pulling the strings. With Manu Tuilagi set to be most sorely missed, an injury to the new incumbent of Wilkinson’s old No10 shirt has hardly helped either.

    George Ford will start in Cardiff after Owen Farrell was ruled out of the entire tournament with a knee injury.

    George Ford.

    Wilkinson added: “England are in an excellent position to have two strong players there. George Ford has done a hell of a lot of work, he was in that difficult spot where he wasn’t given an opportunity straight away, had to work hard, keep his head down and just cementing the consistency of good solid No10 play.

    “He has those extra abilities that some people just don’t have so working hard really has done him the world of good. The situations have ensured England have some great options at 10. You have Danny Cipriani too showing he’s in form. It is a nice position for them to be in.

    “There is a real depth and solidity to the squad. What can they do better? With all these things, it is just about working on being together, about finding the common thread that unites everyone into that tunnel like ambition and desire to just try and win a tournament at all costs. It sounds selfish but that’s what it takes.

    “It is easy to say that and have it as a strapline under a load of goals you may have and say, 'I will do whatever it takes’, but you have to face up to the importance of what  it means to win the Six Nations and the World Cup.

    “It is hidden in their connections with each other. They need to get the best out of each other – they have the talent and the leaders to do that.

    “It’s about wearing the shirt, filling the shirt and doing something which they will remember for the rest of their lives.”

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