Renowned fly-half Jonny Wilkinson responded to the news of losing one of English rugby's most illustrious records this past weekend.
The record in focus pertains to being England's all-time leading scorer. Owen Farrell is on the cusp of surpassing Wilkinson's remarkable total of 1,179 points, needing just two more against Samoa this Saturday.
“They are just numbers but, when it represents enjoyment, embracing and engaging in the game, and feeling like your career is worthwhile, that’s what counts,” Wilkinson told the Telegraph.
“It’s cool - I work with Owen, I know him reasonably well and it’s brilliant.”
He was then asked how he approaches life as a pundit for ITV Sport.
“I approach it with enormous diligence,” he says. “I’m interested in what it takes to perform, how you connect to that zone-like experience of total immersion in what you are doing. That’s my life. My absolute life. It’s the basis of all my relationships, the basis of what I do in my professional life…[to] just make the most of this gift we have of life. I cannot forget it for one second.
“I’ve been working my entire life to talk about what I’m talking about. Which is why I keep to what I know. My diligence is much more around the concept of the preparation and the experience of the playing and performing; the skills, the coming together and all the mental and emotional side.
"The statistical side I find interesting but I have always sided on the power of the human element: the creativity, the resilience, the ability to come through at any time when things connect. Therefore some things I find difficult.”
Jonny Wilkinson Has Been Voted The Greatest Ever Rugby Player In History
20. Sergio Parisse (Italy)
19. Johnny Sexton (Ireland)
Andy Farrell, Head Coach of Ireland and Johnny Sexton, Captain of Ireland pose with the Guinness Six Nations trophy during the 2023 Guinness Six Nations Media Launch at County Hall, Lambeth, London on Monday 23rd January 2023 | Photo: James Fearn/PPAUK.
18. Jason Leonard (England)
17. Zinzan Brooke (New Zealand)
16. Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand)
15. Lawrence Dallaglio (England)
Lawrence Dallaglio facts:
- Already a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours
- Warren Gatland has said that Dallaglio was “The best captain that I’ve ever been involved with.”
- He is one of a very small number of players to have won both the Rugby World Cup and Sevens World Cup
- Dallaglio married his long-time girlfriend, Alice, in 2005. They have two daughters, Ella and Josie, and a son, Enzo
- He has also received an Honorary Doctorate from Buckinghamshire New University for services to sport
14. Alun Wyn Jones (Wales)
12. Bryan Habana (South Africa)
13. Paul O'Connell (Ireland)
Paul O'Connell of Ireland seen during the Rugby World Cup Pool D match between Italy v Ireland at The Stadium, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Oct 4th 2015 in London - Photo mandatory by-line: Graeme Truby/Pinnacle - Tel: +44(0)1363 881025 - Mobile:0797 1270 681 - VAT Reg No: 183700120 - SPORT - International Rugby
Paul O’Connell facts:
- The lock was given the Freedom of Limerick City in 2012
- O’Connell was awarded Irish Sports Book of the Year in 2016 for
The Battle
- He was good at swimming as a child and only turned to rugby at the age of 16
- O’Connell scored eight tries and played 108 Tests for Ireland from 2002 to 2015
- He played on three British & Irish Lions tours and captained the team for the 2009 tour to South Africa. Overall, he played seven Tests across the 2005, 2009 and 2013 tours.
11. Tim Horan (Australia)
10. Shane Williams (Wales)
9. Martin Johnson (England)
8. Jason Robinson (England)
7. Joost van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
6. Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
5. Gareth Edwards (Wales)
4. Dan Carter (New Zealand)
3. Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland)
Brian O’Driscoll facts:
- He is devoted to Manchester United and his boyhood hero was Mark Hughes
- O’Driscoll’s father, Frank, played two games for Ireland and an uncle, Barry, won four caps
- His final appearance for Leinster, and for any team, was in the 2014 Pro12 Grand Final on 31 May in Leinster’s home ground, the RDS in Dublin, in which Leinster defeated the Glasgow Warriors 34-12
- His most oft-quoted line was delivered at a press conference at Croke Park before an England match in 2009: “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.”
- O’Driscoll was chosen as Player of the Tournament in the 2006, 2007 and 2009 RBS Six Nations Championships.
2. Jonah Lomu (New Zealand)
Jonah Lomu Facts:
- He weighed 120 kg and was 1.96 metres tall, but could run 100 metres in 10.8 seconds
- In 1996, McDonald’s New Zealand named a burger after Lomu
- He’s the only rugby player ever to feature on the front cover of TIME magazine
- According to the Telegraph, Leeds were ready to make a third bid to attract All Blacks giant Jonah Lomu to England in 2001
- He played 63 tests as an All Black, scoring 37 tries
- In 2001 he helped New Zealand win the Rugby World Cup Sevens.
1. Jonny Wilkinson (England)
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.
