Fickleness and sport go hand-in-hand, and the phrase “you’re only as good as your last game” certainly rings true in the world of rugby.
Jonny Wilkinson has come under criticism in the last few days after a below-par kicking display against Italy very nearly prevented England from sealing maximum points in their second Six Nations match.
England stumbled to a 17-12 victory in Rome last Sunday, but Wilkinson missed two routine penalty kicks during the match. And although the fly-half may have felt like he’d made amends by scoring a drop-kick with five minutes to go, some have voiced their concerns over his inclusion in the starting XV.
Matt Dawson, a former international teammate of Wilkinson’s, has led the calls for the Toulon back to make way for fresh blood at fly-half by claiming that he is “not comfortable with the responsibility of being the team's playmaker.”
Such suggestions have riled Martin Johnson, who firmly believes that the blame for England’s abject performance and unflattering scoreline can’t simply be pinned on one individual player, but rather collectively as a team.
The England head coach has suggested that some people have targeted Wilkinson for their “own agenda” and also claimed that it had “become the vogue to have a pop at Jonny.”
This clearly seems to be the case. For the past several years, some have used Wilkinson as a scapegoat for England’s lack of success on the pitch. But the blame cannot be entirely attributed to one particular player – especially when that player has only ever been a tremendous servant to the national side.
Wilkinson has won 75 caps since making his England debut in 1998, and is the leading points scorer in the history of world rugby – a remarkable achievement which must be respected.
And although every player will one day reach the end their careers and be forced to hang up their boots; Wilkinson, at 30, still has a lot to offer England.
Since returning to the international fold at the start of the autumn internationals, the fly-half has scored 53 points in five matches: proving that he hasn’t lost the touch from his trusty left boot.
Against Wales in England’s Six Nations’ opener, Wilkinson’s kicking was impeccable as he scored half of the team’s 30 points at Twickenham.
It’s strange that there were no similar national newspaper columns from the Question of Sport captain, Dawson, on the following Monday morning after England had recorded a 30-17 victory against their rivals.
Pinning the blame on Wilkinson for a below-average team performance against Italy smacks of a typical knee-jerk reaction which is all too common in English sport these days.
It’s not difficult to pick on the easiest target – particularly when it’s the player with the responsibility of kicking the team to victory, and a man who may not be as dynamic as he once was. But rugby is a team sport, and there were 14 other players who were equally as accountable for last weekend’s dubious scoreline.
Rest assured, if the hero of 2003’s Rugby World Cup produces the goods against Ireland, the critics will once again be firmly silenced.
For a fortnight, at least.
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