Stick to the day job, Jonny

14 April 2012

Jonny Wilkinson has been caught moonlighting on video. The England outside half was spotted masquerading as a flanker in the World Cup quarter-final win over Wales and, like any employee who spreads himself too thinly, his main job is suffering.

However, Clive Woodward, the "gaffer", is refusing to reprimand the young lad despite the dreadful precedent it sets. What next? Hookers pretending to be full-backs? The potential for disaster is obvious.

Wilkinson went into the Wales match carrying the tag of "basket case" from the Australian press corps who argue his penchant for endless self-examination amounts to grounds for committing the England and Newcastle No10 to the mad house. Given the kind of dangerous situations most international flankers get into during a game, the case against Wilkinson is building up very nicely.

Wilkinson's defence, however, against the moonlighting charges are predictable: "I was covering for a mate."

The "mate" in question is Richard Hill, the Saracens flanker, who will be fit to return to the team to face France this weekend after five weeks of frustrating inactivity.

Although they would appear to have little in common, one of the world's outstanding flankers and the best kicking outside-half in the game have found a natural bond - an almost religious commitment to their sport.

On Friday, by which time Hill should be restored to the team, the pair will take their usual coffee walk around Manly, the seaside resort where England are based. Hill and Wilkinson always link up to kill time wherever they are in the world and pre-match day is always left free for relaxation. Drinking coffee and chatting about life may not seem a particularly exciting way of wasting time before playing your heart out in a packed rugby stadium, but it works for these guys.

Hill's absence has created holes in England's defence at the rucks and Wilkinson has been increasingly drawn into the fray in recent matches. It reached a natural climax on Sunday with Wales pounding away at the England line where bodies were needed to shore up the cracks. Into this maelstrom of swinging arms and trampling boots hurtled Wilkinson.

It was a display to warm Hill's heart - and give every England supporter palpitations.

Woodward didn't grasp the entirety of what his No10 had done until watching the match video for the first time yesterday. The evidence confirmed his initial impression that Wilkinson was missing from his normal position in defence because he was engaged in putting his body on the line.

It made Woodward's decision to bring on Mike Catt at half-time against Wales even more vital as the Bath utility back was able to hoof the ball down field 50 metres while Wilkinson was still trying to extricate himself from yet another pile of writhing bodies.

Woodward said: "Jonny had an outstanding game in defence and he goes into more rucks than any other No10 in the game. This is because he is so aggressive in defence and wants to get involved. He has a

Oh yes there is, if it means the team's chief playmaker and world-class kicker is failing to concentrate on those two key areas of his game. But Hill's absence has forced him to change his role which explains why England have yet to reach the standard they set in the summer while winning in New Zealand and Australia.

Only the return of the Saracens man on Sunday will allow the No10 to live up to his number. "Yes, he is playing like a back-row forward," added Woodward. "I don't want him to change because he seems very happy." Rob Andrew, the Newcastle director of rugby, has given up trying to stop Wilkinson looking for contact and visibly winces every time his most precious asset heads into full frontal contact with a bigger, meaner opponent. It's an accident waiting to happen - particularly given Wilkinson's history of shoulder and neck problems.

The majority of England fans would support a crackdown from Woodward. With the semi-final looming against France, one of the most dangerous teams in the game, it's time for Wilkinson to stop moonlighting and to stick to the day job.

The one that makes him the best in the world and can take England all the way in this tournament.

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Clive Goodman

Stick to the day job, Jonny

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