Fans have hailed Jonny Wilkinson as the best defensive fly-half of all-time after a compilation video of some of his most memorable tackles went viral on social media.
In some ways, you could argue Wilkinson was the epitome of the professional era. He set new standards in terms of dedication and an almost obsessive pursuit of perfection.
The video of his monster hits has been viewed over 700,000 times on Youtube.
One fan commented: “Unheard of a fly half dropping people like that … .. never be another like him.”
Another said: “Greatest defensive fly half to play the game of rugby.”
“At 5ft10in you really need huge balls to tackle like that and you need even bigger talent to actually succeed,” commented another Wilkinson lover.
Wilkinson was also one of the great match winners of the era and one of the game’s greatest ever accumulators of points.
In fact, only Dan Carter has scored more in Test rugby, with Wilkinson having garnered 1,246 during his 97 caps for England and the Lions. His finest hour, of course, came in 2003, when he slotted the drop goal that won the World Cup.
The fact he landed it with his weaker right foot speaks volumes for his hours and hours of diligent practice. Bowed out on a high, earning two more trophies with Toulon.