Rugby World Cup winning fly-half Jonny Wilkinson has retired from international rugby union after 91 matches for England.
“I would like to take this opportunity to announce my retirement from international rugby,” Wilkinson, said in a statement on his own website.
“To do so fills me with great sadness, but I know I have been blessed in so many ways to have experienced what I have with the England rugby team,” Wilkinson, England’s record points scorer and second on the all-time list behind New Zealand’s Dan Carter, added.
Wilkinson assured himself of a place in rugby union history with the extra-time drop-goal that saw England, with just seconds remaining, win the 2003 World Cup final against hosts Australia in Sydney.
But a succession of injuries meant it was some four years before he played another Test and at the recent World Cup in New Zealand even his normally reliable goalkicking let him down as England, beset by off-field problems, crashed out in the quarter-finals to France.
Widely regarded as the best defensive fly-half Test rugby has seen, Wilkinson’s international retirement means England will start the defence of their Six Nations title away to Scotland in February without him in their squad.
The 32-year-old Wilkinson bowed out from Tests as England’s record points scorer with 1,179 points from 91 Test matches, a haul comprising six tries, 162 conversions, 239 penalties and a record 36 drop-goals.
He also scored 67 points in six Tests for the British and Irish Lions on tours of Australia (2001) and New Zealand (2005) for an overall tally of 1,246.
But the deep-lying Wilkinson, in the view of some pundits, became symptomatic of all that was wrong with England’s attack, with his status meaning that during his numerous injury absences none of his possible successors were able to make the No 10 shirt truly their own.
Wilkinson’s statement added: “To say I have played through four World Cups, two Lions tours, 91 international games and a ridiculous number of injuries and other setbacks gives me an incredibly special feeling of fulfilment.
“But by now I know myself well enough to know that I will never truly be satisfied!” he added.
“It goes without saying that I would like to wish Stuart Lancaster, his coaches and the England squad every bit of success available to them,” added Wilkinson, who also saluted the much criticised England backroom staff at this year’s World Cup, of whom only scrum supremo Graham Rowntree will be working with interim boss Lancaster.
“I would also very much like to extend those wishes to Martin Johnson, Brian Smith, Mike Ford, John Wells, Graham Rowntree and the rest of the England 2011 World Cup management team who have been fantastic and deserve people to know that.”
But former Newcastle stand-off Wilkinson said he would continue playing for Toulon, the French club he joined in 2009.
“For me now, I will continue to focus ever harder on my goal of being the very best I can be with Toulon Rugby Club and continue to embrace and enjoy wherever that path takes me.”
Fellow World Cup winner Lewis Moody, England’s captain in New Zealand before announcing his Test retirement in October, told Sky Sports he’d been “humbled” to have played alongside Wilkinson.
“I’m saddened but his contribution over the years, his work ethic, professionalism and commitment, has been immense,” the Bath flanker said.
“The fact he missed four years of international rugby but still amassed 97 caps is unimaginable,” Moody said.
“What he’s given to the sport, and a generation, is immense.”
And while Moody insisted Wilkinson could have continued at Test level, he understood his reasons for ending his England career.
“If he puts his mind to it he could keep doing it.
“But for him the decision is right and considering the amount of work he’s put in and the number of injuries he’s had in his career, he deserves to enjoy a long and restful retirement.”
England wing Ugo Mony said: “I went to school with Jonny. The way he trained then as a 16-year-old is just how he trains now.”
Lancaster, appointed England’s acting head coach following the post World Cup resignation of team manager Johnson, the 2003 World Cup winning captain, paid tribute to Wilkinson.
“Jonny has had a fantastic international career which has spanned four World Cups and 91 caps and ranks as one of England’s greatest ever players,” Lancaster said in a Rugby Football Union statement.
“He will of course be remembered for that drop-goal but he is more than that, a model sportsman — down to earth and hard working, who has never stopped trying to be the best that he can.”
Jonny Wilkinson factfile
Name: Jonathan Peter Wilkinson
Birthdate: May 25, 1979
Birthplace: Frimley, Surrey, south-east England
England caps: 91
British and Irish Lions caps: 6
World Cup finals: 2
World Cup final wins: 1
Test victories: 67
Six Nations titles: 4 (2000, 2001, 2003, 2011)
Grand Slams: 1 (2003)
Test points breakdown (all figures include British and Irish Lions stats)
Total Test points: 1,246
Test tries: 7
Test conversions: 169
Test penalties: 255
Test drop goals: 36 (world record)
Johnny-boy was way past his prime anyway!
He has been a very good player for England can’t believe its already 14 years ago he started out! I remember back in 1998 just before the Boks game against England an English fan boasting that with Jonny there they would beat us, I was very arrogant and replied there was not way the Boks would lose we had just come of a really good Trinations under Nick Mallet, well those words came back to bit me unfortunately as England beat us…
Injuries played too big a role in Jonny’s career, only 91 England tests in 14 years averages at 6.5 tests per year shows how badly he was affected, didn’t realize/remember that he had been out of international game for 4 years after 2003, his fearless commitment in the tackle has played a big part in this but hats off to him even though he has been past his best for the last 4 years he stil seemed to be very hard working and committed. Time to make as much money as possible in France in the twilight years.
@ grootblousmile:
Slap on the wrist for being negative with your first comment!!
@ Bullscot:
A far more balanced view of one of our National Treasures!
Jonny Wilkinson’s play wasn’t of the southern hemisphere mould, but former All Black Justin Marshall has spoken of the respect and admiration in which the English first-five was held at the peak of his powers.
Wilkinson has hung up his boots after a glittering, if injury plagued, test career that spanned four Rugby World Cups.
And though the 32-year-old pivot’s most memorable moment was his winning drop goal against Australia in the 2003 World Cup final, the All Blacks have also been on the receiving end.
“When he was at the peak of his powers, and not many players can say this, he was the key element of his team,” Marshall said. “In the early 2000s to probably the 2003 Rugby World Cup he was instrumental for England in everything they did.
“When we played them we could see they revolved the game plan around everything he did. Everyone talks about his goal kicking, but he had a very accurate kicking game out of hand.
“He could put an up and under on the button and though it wasn’t pretty at times and a lot of southern hemisphere fans wouldn’t have liked it [coach] Clive Woodward realised he could win games and he revolved a very smart and effective game plan around Jonny Wilkinson.”
Marshall, who played 81 tests, faced Wilkinson twice in an England jersey, one being the 15-13 loss in Wellington in 2003 when he kicked all his side’s points with four penalties and a drop goal.
“It’s easy to say when someone like that retires look at his kicking stats. Yes, he’s the second leading points scorer in tests to Dan Carter, but I thought he was a lot more than a kicker,” Marshall said.
“He was a good defender, very gutsy and early on he could take the ball to the line.”
In 2002, Wilkinson had arguably his finest day in scoring a try as well as kicking three penalties, two conversions and a drop goal in England’s 31-28 win over the All Blacks at Twickenham.
“Injury stopped that ability to take the ball to the line and I don’t think he was ever quite as good,” Marshall said.
“But he had a very good defensive game and a great wide passing game, he is still a very balanced rugby player.”
Marshall, who played against Wilkinson numerous times during his club career in Europe, put him on a par with Jonah Lomu in terms of his global recognition and he admired the way he had battled through numerous injuries to continue playing.
“Off the field he hasn’t really sought fame or anything – in fact, I’d say quite the opposite,” Marshall said.
“I don’t think he likes being in the spotlight.
“I’ve never found him arrogant or aloof, he always makes an effort to come over and have a beer at the after match, he’s very humble.”
Wilkinson, who will continue to play for Toulon in France, played the All Blacks five times from 1998 to 2009 with two losses and three wins.
Pre 2005 he was one of the most feared flyhalves in the World, Thanks Jonny i enjoyed your games against all the other Nations, against the Springboks i was always worried. Hope you can cash in now , without any further injuries. Go Well.
A magnificent obsession, nurtured as a boy on the playing fields of southern England, made Jonny Wilkinson into the world’s most effective first five-eighth in the early years of the new century.
From his school days playing mini-rugby, Wilkinson dedicated himself to becoming the best player he could possibly be with a monastic dedication to training and preparation.
His metronomically accurate goal-kicking repeatedly punished offending sides and a dramatic extra-time drop goal won the 2003 World Cup for England.
When he announced his retirement from international rugby on Monday at the age of 32, Wilkinson’s place in the pantheon of English sporting heroes was assured with a tally of 1,246 international points, second only to New Zealand’s Dan Carter.
Wilkinson’s dedication to his chosen sport, unassuming manner and blond good looks elevated him to a national celebrity status equivalent to that of footballer David Beckham and cricket’s Andrew Flintoff.
But unlike Beckham and Flintoff, Wilkinson was clearly uncomfortable in the public spotlight. More disturbingly, what should have been his finest hour appears not to have given him an iota of satisfaction.
A scarcely believable 13 different serious injuries after the World Cup meant Wilkinson did not play again for his country until 2007. He fought on through the dark days and was still his country’s first choice flyhalf at this year’s World Cup, his fourth and final tournament.
Honestly, I hav always had respect for Wilko.
In interviews he always conducted himself in a respectable way. Always soft spoken.
You never heard of any of-field antics and, well, “walking around naked at a friends wedding” or anything like that~
Top that with the fact that he had a heart like Conrne Krige, and probably had as many injuries, if not more~
Lastly, he has always been comitted to England, even though he played with a bunch or pricks and hobo’s.
Vark me, a gentleman, a hardman, and loyal.
What more do you want?
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