ngland’s legendary fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, who kicked them to World Cup triumph in 2003, has selected his all-time backline – and it’s incredible.
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Wilkinson, a rugby legend renowned for his precision and dedication, carved an indelible mark on the sport.
Born on May 25, 1979, in Surrey, England, he epitomised excellence as an English rugby union player.
Wilkinson’s unparalleled kicking skills, highlighted by his iconic drop goal to clinch the 2003 Rugby World Cup, cemented his legacy.
Fullback: Serge Blanco – France
Wilkinson said: “Serge Blanco typified French rugby at its best with his audacity, ambition and flair. He was most famous for his scintillating counter-attacks, frequently running the ball out of seemingly impossible situations.”
Wing: Christophe Dominici – France
Wilkinson said: “His opportunism, his flair, his game reading, his sheer explosivity to really change a game is something that sticks in my memory”
Outside Centre: Brian O’Driscoll – Ireland
Wilkinson said: “The ability to change the game in a second, a heartbeat, with his movement, with his skill, his game reading but also his leadership.”
Inside Centre: Tim Horan – Australia
Wilkinson said: “A guy that knew how to win, knew how to play the game. His body language suggested he didn’t really know how to fail or what mistakes were, what under performance was.”
Wing: Jonah Lomu – New Zealand
Wilkinson said: “The guy is quite a remarkable rugby legend and deserves to be so. No Rugby World cup team would be complete without him.”
Fly-half: Lynagh, Carter, Larkham, Stransky, Fox
Wilkinson said: “This is the key position for any World Cup winning team. You need guys that are going to lead and continue to do so right to the final seconds when it gets very, very tough. I can’t just pick one.”
Scrum-half: Gary Armstrong – Scotland
Wilkinson said: “The sheer aggression and resilience of the guy, his sheer character meant that anything, any ball that wasn’t good enough to go out to the number ten was never going to go out to the number ten. He would deal with everything himself and that meant control of the game”
England handed easy pool for 2027 Rugby World Cup
The new format will feature six pools of four teams, with a round of 16 added prior to the quarter-finals.
This will enable the tournament window to be reduced from seven to six weeks, while promoting a rhythm that builds momentum across the pool phase and respects the same minimum number of rest days between matches as at France 2023.
If the 2027 Rugby World Cup Draw was made tomorrow, this is what the Pools may look like (based on rankings)
2027 Rugby World Cup draw (Current rankings)
POOL A
- South Africa
- Japan
- Georgia
- Hong Kong
POOL B
- Ireland
- Fiji
- Samoa
- Chile
