Jonny & the Grand Slam

By Mally (27/03/03)
November 27 2003

Putting all other concerns out of his mind and focusing on the up-coming Grand Slam decider, Jonny Wilkinson is refusing to contemplate anything other than an English victory.

Jonny has his thoughts firmly focused on Sunday's match, as he say in his BBC column "no-one in the England squad can shy away from what success or failure will mean". A win will set England up with a strong basis for the World Cup, a loss would re-ignite the annual "Does Clive Woodward Know What He's Doing?" debate.

The loss of yet another Grand Slam would seriously dent England's confidence, and it's not just the fans who would feel let down, speaking last year Laurence Dallaglio said that if England did not win the Grand Slam this year then they should be taken out and shot!

Jonny Wilkinson has been acclaimed as the best fly-half in the world, won various sporting awards, been nominated for Sports Personality of the Year, become one of the youngest sportsmen to be awarded an MBE and he even has a Blue Peter badge (!), but the Grand Slam is an elusive prize, which has so far eluded him.

"A few of the guys in the England team have experienced grand slams, but I certainly have not. Winning grand slams is one of those things I play the game for - it’s a goal I’ve always had and it really drives me. Having missed out four times in a row makes me more eager than ever. " (The Times - Monday 24th March)

Wilkinson is expecting Sunday's match to be close, expecting Ireland to make the first 20 minutes of the match "to be among the hardest imaginable".

"It could be one of those encounters that rests on a penalty decision or a missed kick, so both myself and David Humphreys will need to be on top form."

With the pressure on England to clinch the Slam after missing out so often in the last few years Wilkinson has no need to psyche himself up for the match.

"In the week leading up to a big game, my body knows that it has to be ready for the weekend and I find that I’m holding off before the game, not allowing myself to get tense and ready too early."

Jonny's body is a point of major concern for many Falcons' fans (and not just the female ones) and often the one critism levelled at Wilkinson is the sheer physicality of his game. At the beginning of this month former Wales star Phil Bennett said Jonny was risking injury by "putting his body on the line too often" and even more recently Warren Gatland commented:

"Jonny tackles well above his body weight and if he was my No 10, I would be trying to stop him getting so involved. I know the England coach Clive Woodward has spoken to Jonny about throwing himself into so much contact. But, that does make him a special player. His team-mates have huge respect because of the way he plays on defence, but the problem is if he gets it wrong then he can get injured."

As Newcastle Falcons' fans will all testify, Jonny Wilkinson is a hugely important part of the Falcons's side and is an incredibly influential player. Obviously for such a huge match with so much at stake there's not much point in hoping that Jonny will restrain himself we can only hope that Wilko comes through in one piece.

Oh and wins the Grand Slam!

---

Weekend Action for Newcastle Falcons - who is playing where...

Falcons Fly Out To Hong Kong

Jonny to Captain England