Guinness Prem - Wilkinson gives up on England

Eurosport - Fri, 21 Nov 12:05:00 2008

Jonny Wilkinson has admitted he is no longer motivated by a possible return to the England team and believes Danny Cipriani will prove a worthy long-term successor.

Jonny Wilkinson - Newcastle - 0

The World Cup-winning fly-half revealed earlier this year that he had found inner peace through Buddhism, and he claims that his new spiritual outlook has made him reassess his career goals.

Wilkinson, 29, was ruled out of England's autumn internationals with a dislocated knee which is set to keep him out of action until next spring.

But when the Newcastle number 10 regains full fitness, he will be perfectly happy to play out the rest of his career away from the spotlight of Test rugby.

"If I wanted to play for England I could maybe get back in there like I did before, and I could hang in there for a bit and not really enjoy myself," he told BBC Radio Five Live.

"I could squeeze through a few games and spend the end of the week slumming into my pillow and (trying to) find a way to get through, not get much sleep and work towards the next one, finish my career and work out what to do with myself.

"Or I can have a fantastic time, with whichever team I'm with, trying to help them get better, and let the best of me come out."

He added: "The key for me is going out there and playing without fear and being the best I can be.

"If I'm being the best I can be, there is nothing else. It's irrelevant being an England player or not."

With Wilkinson out of the frame for Martin Johnson's team for the foreseeable future, Cipriani and Toby Flood look set to battle it out for the number 10 shirt.

Cipriani has been touted as a potentially world-class heir to Wilkinson, although a mediocre performance against Australia last weekend demonstrated how far he still has to go before he can be compared to the likes of Dan Carter and Matt Giteau.

But Wilkinson insists the Wasps fly-half remains an "outstanding" prospect.

"Danny's an explosive character who burst on to the scene with a huge amount of talent, and that talent is ready to come out," he said.

"He's played a hell of a lot for his club and he's done well, he's played under seriously high pressure. He's played for England now and he knows what he's doing.

"I'm expecting him to be outstanding."

He added: "I've been in the squad when he's been playing and he's incredibly authoritative, he knows what he wants, and that's a great sign of a guy in a decision-making position.

"He knows what he wants on the field, and he's learning his way to get that message right on there.

"He's going to be a massive part of it and he's only going to get better."

SportingLife / Eurosport

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  1. A true professional in the very sense of the word. He played with the best and showed himself to be an outstanding sportsman and a true talisman for the English team. A true rugby great.

    From attila the hun, on Fri 21 Nov 1:00PM

  2. Better to have been a has-been than a never-was.

    From MARK, on Fri 21 Nov 12:58PM

  3. I must admit that JW is a world class player and has nothing left to prove. He kicked england to 2 WC finals and won one of them and could of won a second. He has given everything to the sport. He's the world record points scorer and was out for the best part of 4 years, what more is there. his body has taken a hell of a beating and he must consider the rest of his life as well. and this comes from an irish man. as for the stupid headline? "Gives up on England", what is that about? sensationalism at its best

    From joshua w, on Fri 21 Nov 11:56AM

  4. Good on ya Jonny, it's about time ou allowed yourself to enjoy the game for what it is.

    From Northenlad, on Fri 21 Nov 7:54AM

  5. Nothing left to prove.

    From Donald D, on Fri 21 Nov 7:33AM

  6. A more apt moniker I have not seen or heard the likes of. Brainless you are an oaf!
    If you have nothing intelligent or worthwhile to say give all decent rugby fans a break and keep your peurile thoughts to yourself.
    Well said BIJ and gerwyn t.

    From geezersgaff, on Fri 21 Nov 7:25AM

  7. Johnny has not 'given up on england' After everything he's done for them, he's earned the right to settle down if he wants. This is the most misleading and inaccurate headlines by those stupid Yahoo staff writers i've read.

    From Asdfaf A, on Fri 21 Nov 5:46AM

  8. Reference Brainless's comment: I think cretin would be more appropriate to sum up your remarks. He has never made excuses and has always offered whatever he can, to aid to England's cause. He has on many occasions played like one of the all great Stand-Offs (that he undoubtedly was in the past).

    From BIJ, on Fri 21 Nov 3:37AM

  9. This is a sad end to what could have been an amazing career. The worst thing Johnny Wilkinson did was try to play through the pain barrier after putting his body through hell and try to continue after the World Cup 03. I still say the best thing he could have done after the World Cup was to take a while out and live off his name, maybe coached or just purely inspired, give his body time to recover, and then would still have been a force like the ever the over rated Stephen Jones is today.

    Disaapointed - Welsh Rugby Fan

    From gerwyn t, on Fri 21 Nov 1:30AM

  10. A true has-been. Buddhism is just the excuse to explain he can't mix it with the tough anymore

    From Half A Brain, on Fri 21 Nov 1:07AM

  11. Sad end to a great England career. If it wasn't for all the injuries since '03 there's no telling what he could have achieved.

    From danielsteene, on Fri 21 Nov 12:44AM
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