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Jonny - the debate

Brian Ashton has made his mind up about Wilkinson, but opinion is still divided in the Rugby Club.

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Comments

Sebastian Roberts says...

I think this debate is ridiculous. Everybody saw england's games in the world cup that they played without jonny and then the dominance he possesed when he came back into the side. Stuart Barnes has been wanting him out for long then just the Wales game but there is no reason for it. The 2007 world cup physically and mentally drained Wilkinson, so the first game back he is bound to be a bit rusty. That 2007 world cup form cant be far away, and when he gets there he will only get better.

Posted 09:42 11th February 2008

Peter Figg says...

i think the debate surrounding jonny wilkinson is incredible. The world cup proved what a player of stature and quality he is and the first game he has back wasn't his best but why judge him so harshly. Put cipriani in at full back and allow jonny the space we owe him

Posted 10:43 10th February 2008

Baruch Spiegel says...

If you are going to change every player that had a bad game against wales then about 13 players should go. The whole point is that when the forwards and backs are playing as cohesive units then we win games. No one man should carry the weight of the whole team on his shoulders, not even the captain.

Posted 09:35 10th February 2008

Toby Expat says...

I don�t think anyone can question J.W.�s qualities as a fly-half, nor his commitment to the game; what may now be open to question is his ability, under pressure, to "manage" the game, not just the backs but the whole focus of the team, and his performance against Wales perhaps shows how much protection, and thus time to think, he enjoyed in the Martin Johnson era. The back row of Dellaglio, Back and especially Hill were a well- honed unit and gave J.W. something of an arm-chair ride. Now the back row has changed completely, and is still developing cohesion, and is more concerned with what it should be doing, individually and collectively to meet its own remit than with protecting the No 10: as a result, J.W. has to react to situations seconds quicker than he did in the 2003 side, and seconds can be all that matters in international rugby. This does not take anything away from J.W.�s qualities, both on and off the field, but it does suggest that captaincy is not something which sits comfortably with him, and is not a burden which he should carry.

Posted 08:19 10th February 2008

Derek Richardson says...

Please correct me if wrong but was Wilkinson the only player on the field for England. One poor game (by his standard) does not mean he is past his sell by date.

Posted 05:52 9th February 2008

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