#2. Jonny Wilkinson
“What is missing in his repertoire is an ability to read the game, understand where England are playing and where they should be playing,” wrote Dawson in a column in 2010.
“He can play in the way that has been planned on a flip chart in team meetings, but if it comes down to him to work out on the hoof what options to take, more often than not he will kick – and miss opportunities to attack.
Embed from Getty Images“That is not news, it’s the way it has always been. Jonny needs players around him – guys like Mike Catt, Will Greenwood, myself or Kyran Bracken – to take decisions, then he will execute them brilliantly.”
England legend Martin Johnson, who was the head coach at the time fired back at ‘proactive’ Dawson, saying:“ I didn’t make any decisions either; it was all Matt Dawson,”
Austin Healey, a maverick who was never a fixture, either in the team or in any one position, also said: “Get off Jonny Wilkinson’s case – and that includes you Matt Dawson.”