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Wilkinson: Fire is still there
12/03/2008 09:16 - (SA)
London - Jonny Wilkinson insisted the "fire is still there" to play Test rugby after the England star was dropped ahead of Saturday's Six Nations Championship clash with Ireland at Twickenham.
England, for the final match of what has been another lacklustre Championship campaign, will instead see 20-year-old rising star Danny Cipriani start at outside-half with international rugby union's leading points scorer demoted to the bench.
Not since 1999, when Wilkinson didn't make the England starting side that lost the World Cup quarter-final against South Africa in Paris, has he been left out when fit.
Back then, his omission could be explained as a 'horses for courses' choice which allowed Paul Grayson to play at 10.
But now Wilkinson, capped 69 times by England, has been dropped on clear form grounds alone.
England were desperately uninspiring during last Saturday's 15-9 Calcutta Cup defeat away to Scotland.
On the bench
Yet, remarkably, only Wilkinson has been dropped from the 1st XV after a defeat which put paid to any lingering hopes of England's first Six Nations title since the Grand Slam of 2003, which preceded their World Cup triumph later that year where he kicked the winning drop-goal against hosts Australia in the final.
Instead, Ashton's only changes are on the bench where Wilkinson replaces Charlie Hodgson and James Haskell comes in for Luke Narraway.
Wilkinson might yet start if Newcastle colleague Toby Flood, who didn't train on Tuesday, fails to recover in time for Saturday's match.
But, for the moment at least, England feel they can kick-off without a man who only on Saturday broke Neil Jenkins's world record of 1,090 Test points for Wales and the British and Irish Lions.
And, in truth, Wilkinson has not been at his best this season with many critics arguing Cipriani should have had an opportunity earlier in the Championship to provide England with the kind of creative spark they were so badly lacking against Scotland.
Not that the 28-year-old Wilkinson is ready to give away his England career just yet.
"Absolutely, the fire is still there," he told reporters at England's hotel in Bath on Tuesday.
Shackles were off
"One thing that will never change is that I will never stop going out there every day and trying to get better. I still do the extra training - that will never change because you care so much.
"Mike Catt played some of his best rugby (after the age of 30) because the shackles were off. I would like to think I can do that.
"I would never walk around thinking I am going to get dropped or I am not good enough, because I don't believe either. I would also never be arrogant enough to think I would always be picked either."
Wilkinson also paid a generous tribute to Cipriani, who would have made his first Test start against Scotland at fullback had he not been dropped by Ashton after being seen coming out of a nightclub after midnight two days before the game.
"Looking at Danny, he is a great player with a fabulous future ahead of him. "He is a team man and I respect him."
Ashton who, like Ireland counterpart Eddie O'Sullivan, could find his job on the line if his side lose this weekend, said:
"Jonny has had an inconsistent Six Nations, and it was always our intention to give Cipriani a start at some point.
As for suggestions that Wilkinson had been made a scapegoat for his and others' mistakes, the under-pressure Ashton replied: "No, not at all.
"He is on the bench, he is a full part of the 22 covering the 10/12 positions. For all we know he could come on for 75 minutes and win us the game.
"I felt it was a decision that had to be made, and I think it is the right one," he added.
Cipriani, who has been playing at outside-half for Wasps, is regarded as one of English rugby's brightest talents and Ashton said: "We have got another player in that position who has been on fire so this season at 10 for his club side, and I just wanted to have a look there to see if he can bring something extra to the side."
And England's new No 10 was well aware of the responsibility thrust upon his shoulders. "No-one can replace Jonny Wilkinson as a person or as a player. What he is doing has been fantastic.
"I am going to talk to him all week. There is no better a person to talk to, and he has told me if there is anything I want just ask."
The likes of former England coach Sir Clive Woodward were among those who said Ashton had been heavy-handed in dropping Cipriani last week.
But Cipriani said: "Brian has taught me a lesson, and thankfully, he's done it at the age of 20. I think it will stand me in good stead.
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