Jonny Wilkinson OBE England Profile
Updated October 22, 2008
JONNY WILKINSON OBE
Club: Newcastle Falcons
Position: Fly half
Born: 25.05.79 | Frimley
Height: 1.77m (5’10“)
Weight: 88kg (13st 11lb)
Representative Honours: England 16 Group, 18 Group, U21
Caps: 70
Points: 1032 – 6T, 144C, 209P, 29DG
International Record: 1998 I(R), A, NZ(1) 1999 S, I, F, W, A, USA, C, World up – It, NZ, Fj, SA(R) 2000 I, F, W, It, S, SA(2), A, Arg, SA 2001 W, It, S, F, I, A, SA 2002 S, I, F, W, It, NZ, A, SA 2003 F, W, It, S, I, NZ, A, F, World Cup – G, SA, Sam, W, F, A 2007 S, It, I, SA(1,2), W, F(1R,2), World Cup - Sam, Tg, A, F, SA 2008 W, It, F, S, I(R)
British & Irish Lions: 2001 A(1,2,3) 2005 NZ (1,2) (67points – 1T, 7C, 16PG)
Jonny Wilkinson OBE is currently sidelined after suffering a dislocated knee cap in October 2008 – the latest of 13 injuries since for landing the extra time drop goal against Australia that won England the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
However, the setbacks have not stopped him becoming the leading points scorer in test rugby, his nine against Scotland in March 2008 taking him to 1099 and ahead of Neil Jenkins.
It was the latest milestone for Jonny, who against Italy in February 2007 became the first English player to score 1000 international points, while his 29th drop goal against France this year took him in front of Hugo Porta as the leading proponent in that field.
In scoring all his country's 12 points against Australia in the quarter final of the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Wilkinson also overtook Scotland's Scott Hastings to become the highest points scorer in Rugby World Cup history.
In September 2008 he jumped ahead of Andy Goode to become the highest scorer in Guinness Premiership history with 1489 points.
Jonny won his first cap against Ireland in April 1998, aged 18 years and 314 days, as a replacement for Mike Catt to become England’s youngest ever player, succeeding Henri Laird (Harlequins) in 1927.
He went on to become one of the finest all-round fly halves in world rugby and was voted International Player of the Year for 2002, Players’ Player of 2003 by the Professional Rugby Players’ Association and also BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Jonny captained England against Italy in March 2003 in place of Martin Johnson as part of an established team that went into RWC 2003 as favourites.
He then endured a succession of injuries that kept him out of international action for over three years, only returning in the 2008 RBS 6 Nations opener against Scotland.
Jonny led England in the second Test against South Africa in Pretoria in June 2007 when tour captain Jason Robinson was ruled out injured and played in all the RWC warm-up matches against Wales and France, twice, in August.
A twisted ankle ruled him out of the RWC 2007 opener against USA but he returned for the pool game against Samoa onwards.
He missed the 2008 summer tour of New Zealand to recover from shoulder surgery but returned to action in September with a perfect eight from eight against Bristol, including a 45-metre drop goal off his right foot.
Jonny has played five tests for the Lions, including equalling the best individual total in a test with 18 points against Australia in the third test in Sydney in 2001.
As a schoolboy he played alongside Peter Richards to take Lord Wandsworth to the semi finals of the Daily Mail Under 18s Cup.
He joined Newcastle in 1997 on the recommendation of his former teacher Steve Bates, deferring his studies at Durham University.
Did you know?
Jonny began playing when four years old at Farnham RFC and went on to represent Hampshire and London Schools before being a member of the all-conquering England 18 Group party in Australia 11 years ago that also contained Steve Borthwick, Andrew Sheridan and Lee Mears.
His career has been interrupted by 13 different injuries but his stoical approach encompasses the belief that he has come back mentally stronger every time.
During one absence he brushed up his French and learnt Spanish as well as playing the guitar and piano, saying: ‛You can tell the number of injuries I have had by all the hobbies that I have taken up.“
