It’s a sad inevitability of sport that all heroes must eventually hang up their boots. Only a few will bow out in a blaze of glory, though. Most will end their careers a shadow of their former selves. Jonny Wilkinson, the golden boy of England’s 2003 World Cup win, may well have reached the end of his international career with his legend slightly tarnished.
A series of poor performances in this year’s Six Nations have finally prompted Martin Johnson to take action and opt for Toby Flood at fly-half instead for England’s final match against France. It’s a move which could well signal the end of Wilkinson’s England playing days.
Before the autumn internationals, the former Newcastle Falcons No. 10 had the look of a man revitalised thanks to his move to Top 14 side, Toulon. The confidence was back, his kicking still clinical and his all-round game appeared to have benefitted from his time out in France.
Wilkinson’s drive and hunger to succeed has never been called into question. However, the challenge of inspiring an unspectacular England side was never going to be an easy feat – especially for a 30-year-old whose best days were firmly behind him.
The fiercely loyal Johnson desperately wanted to still hold Wilkinson in the highest regard after recalling him for the 2010 Six Nations: but a month on from the start of the championships, the England head coach has now seemingly lost faith in what the aging fly-half can offer the team.
Questions will be asked about why Wilkinson has been so below-par over the past few weeks. Is it really just a case of his age? Or is he merely the scapegoat of a very ordinary England side?
In reality, it’s a combination of both. Targeting Jonny Wilkinson for England’s poor performances was almost as inevitable as his eventual demise. But rugby, more than most, is a team sport; and the loose forwards should carry some of the flak after their consistently poor efforts at the breakdown.
When a player has scaled the heights in their career that Wilkinson has, the eventual comedown at the end of their careers will always result in them hitting the ground with an almightier thud than the majority of their fellow professionals – unless they bow out at their prime, something which Wilkinson never had the luxury of being able to do.
Dropping him for the final match of the championships suggests that Johnson regards Flood as his best option at fly-half for next year’s World Cup, and this will undoubtedly hit Wilkinson hard. Representing England has always been the achievement in rugby which has given Wilkinson the most satisfaction; but the time is right for change in personnel.
Fortunately, the public will still remember the fly-half for his breathtaking moments in an England shirt before 2008 rather than the miss-kicking, frustrated figure of 2010.
But it’s a different story for the England head coach. Wilkinson’s fellow 2003 World Cup hero, Johnson, really does have his legendary status firmly in the balance.
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