He’s back! The man became a legend by clinching the first Rugby World Cup for England with that famous last minute drop goal in Sydney. Regarded by many as the best ever Englishman to play the sport., Jonny Wilkinson, is back to full fitness and is out to save England from the brink of World Cup elimination.
Wilkinson will feature against Samoa in a critical Group A match that could decide whether the defending world champions secure their passage to the knockout stages against a modest Samoa team at Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes. The crucial Pool A match takes placed on Saturday and the fit-again England superhero would be looking forward to rekindling England in the competition.
Wilkinson’s troublesome ankle kept him out of the two matches that England have played so far in the competition and in both of these matches, his presence was severely missed. When England lost 36-0 to South Africa, the Newcastle fly-half’s absence was considered as the decisive factor in that heavy defeat. Wilkinson is the talisman for this talented but somewhat edgy England rugby team and his return to action has received a huge and hearty welcome.
England went radically of the boil after that famous night in Sydney in 2003 when Wilkinson’s extra time drop goal won the World Cup for England for the first time in their history. It is no coincidence that the slide down the hill for England since then had coincided when Wilkinson was nursing a string of injuries on the sidelines and it was no matter of freak either that Jonny Bravo’s return to the England line in late January this year was marked by a comprehensive 42-20 victory over Scotland in the Six Nations opener.
And now Jonny Wilkinson, the darling of the England rugby fans, is back from the wilderness of injuries and will charge England against Samoa this Saturday. Olly Barkley also return to the team and so do Mark Cueto, Mathew Tait, Joe Worsley and George Chuter. Barkley will move to the inside centre replacing Andy Farrell with Wilkinson to play in his usual fly-half role and this positional switch is expected to transpire a new rhythm to England coach Brian Ashton’s gameplan.
But the best part of the strategy formulated by Ashton is of course the fact that Jonny Wilkinson is back in the team. The inspiration behind England’s success in the last World Cup is ready once more to grace the scene in France.
Image Source: Hackett
Source: BBC
