Jonny Wilkinson waiting for Toulouse – Rugby News Update
Jonny Wilkinson, the 33-year-old England and Toulon fly-half is looking forward to the final of the Top 14 against Toulouse.
Toulouse are the defending champions in the Top 14 and it will be tough for Toulon to achieve victory but having overcome Clermont Auvergne at the State Municipal in Toulouse in the semi-finals they will be confident going into the final.
The semi-final was marked by rain, and neither team had the chance to drive the initiative in attack. It was left to the kickers to earn the points by both teams, and in the kicking-match Wilkinson came on top by scoring five penalties. Wilkinson, who will
forever be remembered for kicking England to World Cup glory in 2003, had a bad time with his shooting boots in the previous rounds but he delivered when it really matter. Now he is has set up a great final, with Toulouse gunning for their nineteenth title,
while Toulon will be out there to stop them.
"Toulouse have a very experienced and powerful set of players and it will be another big challenge," Wilkinson told
L'Equipe. "We will have to prepare very well during the week, and then do all we can to stay in contention till the end of the match. We know it will be a big challenge, but that is why we play rugby."
In the semi-final, Toulon rode their luck and it came down to the final kick to determine the outcome of the match. Clermont got a penalty near the end and scrum-half Morgan Parra’s kick could not go over the post, dropping just short of it, which gave Toulon
victory.
Speaking about the match, he said, "The rain made things very interesting for both teams. We had to defend very, very well against a team that is very dangerous when it has the ball in hand."
Wilkinson and his team will be wary of the French captain, Thierry Dusautoir, who will be determined to sign off the season with a victory.
The Toulon fly-half played 91 times for England, making his debut against Ireland at Twickenham, on April 4, 1998. He was the second youngest debutant at 18 years and 314 days for his country.
Tags: