In acknowledging Wilkinson's right to be considered the world's premier fly half ahead of Mehrtens and the running Wallaby Stephen Larkham, revered Australian Lynagh cites the ferocity of his tackling as the only threat to his continuing welfare.
He said: 'The only time Jonny really smiles is when you talk to him about his tackling. He gets in where it hurts and even seems to like it!
'He doesn't shirk anything, as that huge tackle on Mauro Bergamasco during the Italy match proved. He always gets into an excellent body position for the tackle, then transfers his weight perfectly on impact.
'The way he throws himself around on the pitch could be a concern but, there again, if you go into a tackle half-heartedly, that's when you are more likely to feel your bones creaking.'
Incredibly, it was two years to the day yesterday that Wilkinson kicked his first goal in Tests. To have come so far so soon is an example of how England manager Clive Woodward has ignored traditional British conservatism.
Lynagh said: 'The view not long ago would've been that Jonny hadn't served his apprenticeship and couldn't be picked until he had.
'Therefore it generally took a lot longer for a good young English player to get recognition. Now the attitude has changed, there are a whole bunch of young guys coming through.'
Wilkinson's 35-point haul last weekend took him up four places in the all-time rankings to 11th and the Newcastle man, back at Twickenham on Saturday for the Tetley's Bitter Cup final against Harlequins, will return again the following weekend needing another 24 points against Scotland to reach 400 in his 26th Test.
Fox, denied an All Black place until he was 24, got there after 26 Tests, Mehrtens after 27, Lynagh 32, Jenkins 36 and Hastings 41.
