That "trip" against the US that ruled him out of the SA match was the act of a f***ing simpleton.
Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊
England V South Africa (The Egg Chase)
- Thread starter Beach Hut
- Start date
Pavilionaire
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 31,694
Precisely. It's the equivalent of John Terry getting sent off against Estonia and missing the Russia and Croatia games, i.e. never going to happen.
I think the right choice for captain is Wilkinson with Catt as deputy and Corry as a back-up.
I think the right choice for captain is Wilkinson with Catt as deputy and Corry as a back-up.
Wilkinson shouldn't even be in the squad, let alone captain of the side.
Dave the OAP
Well-known member
Dave the OAP
Well-known member
not all rugby.
If you watched our performance on Satdi, you woudl have thought all football was shite!!!
What's all this "oh great one" business?
The bloke has played half a dozen internationals in the last four years and he breaks down with an injury every other game. Since he came back from the physio's table for the umpteenth time he isn't the same player, he bottles tackles, doesn't have that defence splitting ability that he used to have and has had one decent game against a poor Scottish opposition. But he's Jonny Wilkinson and he was pretty good four years ago so we have to pick him.
Pavilionaire
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 31,694
Any talk of dropping the guy permanently only holds water if there is a quality player ready to step in, but there isn't.
Scotland aren't a bad side and without Wilkinson who knows what would have happened?
Scotland aren't a bad side and without Wilkinson who knows what would have happened?
Dave the OAP
Well-known member
"Oh great one" because I value your opinion!
I taker issue with "Bottles tackles" I think of anything you can accuse Wilkinson of, that is NOt one of them. He is iconic in that when he returned from his injury spell at teh start of last season's friendlies and then 6 nations, he lifted England from a very dour side to one capable of winning games. I saw him at Irish against Newcastle which when you see these guys up close you realise just how hard they tackle....and how fearles ( or mental) they actually are.
We have tried so many number 10's and there is not one who has come close to emulation his kicking, perhaps Hodgson was close, but the only one.
I'm not necessarily talking about dropping him for good, merely questioning the wisdom of picking an injury prone player who has played a minimal amount of rugby at any level in the last four years for a world cup squad.
Fair enough.
Maybe "bottles" wasn't quite the right choice of word. To explain, when he first came into the side he was someone that would put in seriously big hits time after time. When he tackles now he doesn't seem to go in as hard as he used to, he looks like at the back of his mind he's thinking he might get injured again.
There is a dearth of decent stand-offs in this country but having a semi-fit player in the squad doesn't achieve anything.