HALFBACKS:
- 10. Jonny Wilkinson (England)
- 9. Aaron Smith (New Zealand)
McCaw on Wilkinson: “He’ll go down as one of the greats of world rugby.”
Jonny Wilkinson facts:
- Wilkinson’s brother, Mark, was also a Newcastle player who made 16 appearances in the Premiership for the side between 2002 and 2005, predominantly as a centre. His father, Phil, was a rugby player and cricketer, and his mother, Philippa, played squash at county level. His grandfather, Phil, also played football for Norwich.
- When former England centre Jeremy Guscott walked into the dressing room on the day of Wilkinson’s international debut, he thought the 18-year-old had won a competition to spend the day with the national team.
- Wilkinson followed Buddhist principles and teachings to help control his perfectionist tendencies, according to an interview he gave with The Times newspaper in 2009.
- Jonny and Shelley became parents for the first time in late 2018. They keep their private life pretty much on lockdown, but according to reports, they had a little boy called James while they were still living in France.
- Wilkinson is currently a studio pundit for ITV Sport, working on their coverage of the Six Nations Championship, Rugby World Cup and other rugby events.
FRONT-ROW:
- 1. Tony Woodcock (New Zealand)
- 2. Dane Coles (New Zealand)
- 3. Olo Brown (New Zealand)
McCaw on Woodcock: “If you’re looking for a night out, stay away from Tony Woodcock or go and see Tony Woodcock. He’s been on the same team as me since I was 18, we played in age grade together.”