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Wilkinson: explained performances

I don't buy into form, I never have done. I don't think one day you're a good player and then all of a sudden you're not.

Jonny Wilkinson
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Jonny Wilkinson, Brian Ashton and Danny Cipriani all spoke to The Rugby Club ahead of Saturday's Six Nations clash with Ireland.

The three men have been making headlines all week after Ashton decided to drop Wilkinson in favour of young Wasps star Cirpiani for the final game of the tournament at Twickenham.

It is the first time in his England career that Wilkinson has been dropped and the axe fell after criticism that the Newcastle player has not been in good form for his country since the World Cup.

However, Wilkinson gave a slightly confusing explanation for his poor performances, insisting there is no such thing as "form" and that opportunities simply haven't presented themselves in recent matches.

He told The Rugby Club: "I don't buy into form, I never have done.

"I don't think one day you're a good player and then all of a sudden you're not. It doesn't work like that, believe me.

"It works for me that I go into every game fully prepared with the full box of tricks that I know I need and everything is topped up and raring to go.

"What happens on the field is opportunity and opportunity to express yourself.

"When things are going well, things appear more simple - perhaps in the France game and at times at the start of the Wales game for example.

"What has happened is things haven't appeared as simple for me. It's not whether I'm on form or not.

"It's my job to work out whether I can fit better into the team, whether I can understand things differently and how I can impress myself and my abilities on the game.

"What I haven't been able to do in a few of the games is to do that and to come off thinking I was able to get my best side on the field".

Skills

Meanwhile, England coach Ashton gave a slightly simpler explanation for dropping Wilkinson, claiming he had been "inconsistent" throughout the Six Nations so far.

And Ashton also revealed why he had opted for Cipriaini, saying: "Danny Cipriani's got a very wide range of skills and what I hope he'll bring to the game is what he's demonstrated so well with Wasps this season and that's his decision-making and his authoritative communication."

Cipriani is now preparing to make his first start for his country and he told The Rugby Club that he has been chosen simply because he is a different type of player to Wikinson.

"I think nobody can replace Jonny as a person or as a player and I think I've been selected for different reasons," Cipriani said.

"As a number 10 I'm going to try my best to bring what I can to the game. I've worked a lot on my pace and something I'm going to try to add this week is getting our backline moving forward.

"With the squad that we have we can be up there with the best in the world."