Player Profile: Jonny Wilkinson

Date of Birth: 25th May 1979
Birthplace: Frimley
Position: Fly Half
Height: 1.78 m (5′ 10″)
Weight: 85 kg (13 st 5 lb)
Honours: England (57 caps) British Isles (5 caps)

Where better to start my new Player Profiles series than with Wilko, possibly the most famous name in world rugby.  Most renowned for kicking the dropped goal that won England the 2003 Rugby World Cup, Jonny is a legend of English rugby.

After making his debut at just 18 years old, Jonny seems to have been around for a while.  A regular in the England team in the years leading up to 2003, he has won a half century of caps and has experience beyond his years.

Since that famous night in Sydney, there has been talk of him never playing for England again, suffering a seemingly endless string of injuries ranging from knee ligament damage to a lacerated kidney.  However, his formidable return to Test rugby against Scotland in February put paid to that debate. 

His metronomic boot and accurate kicking are the result of obsessive hours on the practice ground, and his dedication and love of the game cannot be questioned.

England’s hopes tend to rest on the little maestro, but as we saw in 2003 it takes more than one man to win a world cup.