Jonny Wilkinson
As of October 11, 2011 National: October 11, 2011
Jonathan Peter Wilkinson OBE ( born May 25, 1979 in Frimley, Surrey ) is an English rugby union player who is used to the position of the connector. He is active for the English national team and the RC Toulon. He is one of the most famous players of his sport in the world and has in his career so far broken numerous records.
Wilkinson grew up in Surrey and began with four years at the rugby. During his school years he also played cricket and tennis, but soon devoted himself exclusively to the rugby. Early on, he made himself a name in England, when he became the most outstanding player in the youth teams of the country.
Career
1997 - 1999
In 1997, he began his professional career with the Newcastle Falcons as an internal three-quarters. Even in his first season, he was called into the national team, on 4 April 1998, his first commitment to England followed in a duel with Ireland. Wilkinson's first game in the starting lineup went down in the history of English rugby. In June 1998, the team lost against Australia at 0:76, the. Till today worst defeat for England
The following season he moved to the position of the connector, both the club and the national team. He was also responsible for the criminal, increment and jump kicks. In 1999 followed the first game at a World Cup when the English beat Italy with 67:7. Wilkinson scoring a try and a total of 32 points. In the play-off game against Fiji coach Sir Clive Woodward spared him and was later criticized sharply. Against South Africa, the British left then already in the quarter- finals.
2000 - 2002
In the years 2000 and 2001, Wilkinson won with England the title at the Six Nations. In the match against Italy in the Six Nations in 2001 he scored 35 points in the victory 80:23. He set equaling the record for most points in a game on the Six Nations. In the same year he secured with his club team to the first national title of his career. The Newcastle Falcons this season could bring about the Harlequins the Powergen Cup Final by a 30:27 victory. Due to its excellent performance, he was invited for a tour of the British and Irish Lions and was during the stay in Australia regulars. In the second game of the series he was injured, but could be in the next game back again and scored 18 points, the most ever a Lions player has made it into a game.
In November 2002, England played friendly matches against the three greatest rugby nations of the Southern Hemisphere: Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. In the first match against the All Blacks Wilkinson scored a "Full House". He succeeded in an attempt to two elevations, three penalty kicks and a flying kick. With this capacity, he led his team to victory 31:28. After a 19:31 behind the British against Australia succeeded in the end, even the victory with 32:31. Against South Africa, they managed not only the third success in a row against a team of Südhemispäre, which was also 53:3 which until then heaviest defeat for the Springboks of all time.
2003
This winning streak continued in 2003 with the Six Nations. England won all the games and overtook the Grand Slam. This one was also the favorites to win the World Championship title at the World Championships in Australia in the same year. There were other great victories this year. Against New Zealand, the British could win a game for the first time twice, Wilkinson scoring all the points. Against Australia managed to do the first away victory in the history of English rugby and had faith in a possible victory in the World Cup grow. In the preliminary round Wilkinson came to three inserts in the final group game against Uruguay, he was spared. England won all the games and moved so as group winners in the quarter- finals. There, they met Wales. 23 points from Wilkinson led to the 28:17 victory and move into the semi-finals. Against France he scored all the points at 24:7. In the final they met host Australia. The regular season ended with 17:17. 21 seconds before the end of the extension achieved the legendary Wilkinson drop goal by England for the first time could be a world champion. This crucial step made him world famous bored and made especially for the underdog for much displeasure. The public in Australia criticized the power and kick oriented game of the Englishman left little space for experiments played out.
Wilkinson was awarded the prize for the " Player of the Year " award and the MBE in 2003. He also became the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Sportsman of the Year in the UK, was elected. A year later he was even appointed OBE.
2004 - 2007
In the following months he has been repeatedly plagued by injuries and came in one and a half years on not even 1000 minutes playing time. Despite some setbacks, he was appointed for the tour of the British and Irish Lions 2005, with it came two appearances, but got injured again.
In 2007, Wilkinson was again the central players in the England team and his club, the Newcastle Falcons. His injury crisis seemed to be over and he could continuously train and participate in league and international games for a long time. He was part of the team for the 2007 World Cup, was about to repeat his title win in England. However, the signs were not as good as before the 2003 World Cup. Britain had previously lost some friendly matches against South Africa and Wilkinson fell again. The first two games of the World Cup had to deny the England team without its connector and promptly showed poor performance. Against South Africa, there was a sensitive 00:36 defeat against the United States could only be obtained with difficulty. In the match against Samoa Wilkinson returned to the squad and netted 24 points at 44:22. Also in the group match against Tonga he was one of the party. In the quarter final they met the final opponent of the last World Cup, Australia. At 12:10 Wilkinson scored all his team's points and became the most successful fighter of all time points at world championships. When 14:9 victory against France in the semifinals, he scored nine more points and was so again in the final. Against South Africa lost the Englishman with 6:15 and so were unable to repeat their triumph of 2003.
2008 - today
With the Six Nations 2008 Wilkinson was in the first four games to the root formation of England. He scored 14 points against Wales, but not enough to win. With his 13 points in the victory in Italy Wilkinson surpassed the 1,000 -point mark. Against France he scored with a flying kick 29 goals in his career, setting a new world record. In the fourth game, the Englishman Scotland documents with 9:15, Wilkinson scored all his team's points. He overtook Neil Jenkins and is now with 1099 points is the most successful player of all time in rugby history. Due to the poor performance of England also criticism of him was loud. Coach Brian Ashton put him in the final game of the Six Nations against Ireland on the bench. Danny Cipriani replaced him as the No. 10 This was only the second time in the international career Wilkinson that he had to deny a game from the bench. During the game he came in to replace Toby Flood as the inner three quarters and played alongside Cipriani.
Gameday On the third of the Guinness Premiership season Wilkinson broke up with his two elevations and a penalty kick against Bristol Rugby the all-time record for most points ( 1486 ) that have ever been achieved in the league. Shortly afterwards, however, he injured his knee and fell hard again for five months from. He could therefore not participate in the Six Nations 2009. Meanwhile, Charlie Hodgson scored more points in the English league and is therefore scorer.
Wilkinson plays in the 2009/10 season after twelve years at the Falcons in France at RC Toulon. The French club has undertaken numerous high-profile players such as Felipe Contepomi Tana Umaga or in the last two years and has a large financial volume. Wilkinson earned there about 700,000 € per year.
In November 2009, Wilkinson returned after a break of 18 months back in the national team back after he had a good start to the season with Toulon. England could win against Argentina in the series against teams from the southern hemisphere. He was in all the games in the starting lineup. Completed in 2011, Wilkinson his membership in the national team.
Records
Private life
Wilkinson writes during major tournaments like the Six Nations a column for the British newspaper The Times. He has also written with the help of Neil Squires three books. Together with his older brother Mark lives in Northumberland. His closest friend in the England team include Richard Hill and Mike Catt. After his playing career, he strives for a coaching career.