2003 - It's all about St Jonny

[Which Tyler]

 

[Kiwiwomble]

i actually think his drop goal has done him a disservice, its too easy for us non England fans to just remember this one clutch kick and forget how good he was in general

 

[ncurd]

He's still arguably the best fly-half to play the game along with Carter if hadn't missed every international match between the final and 2007 6 nations when he was aged 25-29 due to successive injuries we might have a far better idea on how to compare the two. Its scary to think the impact he may have had if he'd actually played regularly in his prime.

Its worth noting he did play in 2005 Lions tour but was injured after the first two tests and was the only international rugby he played in that time period.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

i actually think his drop goal has done him a disservice, its too easy for us non England fans to just remember this one clutch kick and forget how good he was in general

It's not done him a disservice in England! Rightly revered as one of our very best not just for what he did but for his commitment and the way he redefined the FH role. Refusing to bow to injury when many others would have further endeared him to us as did his loyalty to unfashionable Falcons. Never was an overseas payday more richly deserved and he's also loved in Toulon for his commitment to them.

Of course he could have spared us all the last minute drama in 03 if he'd have converted Robinson's try or landed one of his three earlier DG attempts.

 

[lupacexi]

Thanks you for sharing.

 

[Broms]

He's still arguably the best fly-half to play the game along with Carter if hadn't missed every international match between the final and 2007 6 nations when he was aged 25-29 due to successive injuries we might have a far better idea on how to compare the two. Its scary to think the impact he may have had if he'd actually played regularly in his prime.

Its worth noting he did play in 2005 Lions tour but was injured after the first two tests and was the only international rugby he played in that time period.

Jonny Wilkinson. No, not really.
To be known as the greatest flyhalf to have played the game you'd expect some obvious outstanding qualities related to the skills of the position. These would be :in attack, 1. dangerous ball carrier in own right, think Jonathon Davies for example. 2. supreme playmaker in both set and open play, organising backs and forwards in attack. In defence: a safe and punishing individual tackler. The flyhalf channel is often a target for attack because F/Hs are traditionally soft in defence, but not in Carter's case. Lastly, an accurate 2 footed long punt (or chip kicker), in either attack or defence.
Goal kicking or drop goal kicking are these days coincidental with the position. Any back can kick field goals behind a ruck or maul and any of the 15 can place kick, think John Eales for example. It isn't a core F/H skill.
Wilkinson was not internationally outstanding in any of these core F/H roles and for most of his career, rarely threatening the line with ball in hand and was very often targeted because he was a relatively weak tackler. His fame remains connected to that ice cold drop goal in the WC final. Even his goal kicking, at around a very respectable 80% success, is not better than innumerable others. His reputation, while huge in England, is pretty much absent in other Rugby countries because he really wasn't a threat at the highest level. It's always an interesting thing to imagine, or actually watch, a players highlight reel. In Jonny Wilkinson's case, if you remove key goal kicks and drop goals, it would not give many clues about why his reputation remains so high, even in England. But he did drop that goal!

 

[Kiwiwomble]

This is probably the first time I've heard someone try and argue he's not even ARGUABLY one of the best in the world...awkward

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

That is one of the most inaccurate posts I've ever seen lol.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

That is one of the most inaccurate posts I've ever seen lol.

And a very aggressive intro to the forum

 

[BiggusLaddus]

Wilkinson a weak tackler??

 

[Which Tyler]

And definitely the first anywhere to argue that Wilko was "soft in defence".


It just reads like someone who has seen the hype around Wilko's boot and believed that's all there was. Never bothering to watch an actual rugby match, or read press fr outside NZ, but has to defend his CarterCrush anyway.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

In fairness...it possible everyone has been wrong for the last 20 years

 

[TRF_Olyy]

In fairness...it possible everyone has been wrong for the last 20 years

I'm starting to question if we won the world cup - maybe it was all CGI

 

[Kiwiwomble]

This guy/girl has kind of proven my point, too easy for people to think that's all he did

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I'm starting to question if we won the world cup - maybe it was all CGI

I'm playing Rugby Challenge 4...trust me the graphics aren't good enough yet!

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Ye might be right, here I was remembering him as the only true two-footed player I'd ever seen but I'm starting to think maybe he only had one leg?

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Ye might be right, here I was remembering him as the only true two-footed player I'd ever seen but I'm starting to think maybe he only had one leg?

DC was pretty good on both feet...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ye might be right, here I was remembering him as the only true two-footed player I'd ever seen but I'm starting to think maybe he only had one leg?

He has three legs, if you know what I mean

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

DC was pretty good on both feet...

Yeah, him and JM Hernandez were very strong on both feet.

I think JW had international 10 standard kicking on both feet though which I don't think the other two could claim.

I'd pick DC as the better of the two overall fwiw.

 

[Which Tyler]

Dan Carter "Wilkinson was the toughest opponent I ever played against, he had everything and hanged the role of FH. Without him to measure myself against early in my career I wouldn't have developed as I did"

Random new poster "Wilkinson was a soft defender, poor distributor who lacked vision, all he did was kick - and then never from hand, besides anyone can kick. Barely international quality"