Throwback to this incredible team talk Jonny Wilkinson gave to his Toulon teammates, speaking in both French and English.
It's hard enough giving a passionate team talk in your native language, but England rugby hero does it in both English and French.
The then 35-year-old delivered the epic speech as he captained former team Toulon to a European double in 2014.
He stands at the head of his teammates, who listen intently before they touch hands and shout enthusiastically as they head out for the second-half.
Reacting to the clip, one viewer wrote: "From a Springbok supporter - Jonny is a legend ....always admired his calmness, but never mistake that for weakness, as he is up there with the best ever,"
A second wrote: "A wonderfully gifted player ,a true sportsman, loved and respected in France,"
"Should have a knighthood by now," commented a third.
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.
Jonny Wilkinson Has Been Voted The Greatest Ever Rugby Player In History
England legend Jonny Wilkinson has been voted as the rugby’s greatest ever rugby player after a survey was conducted with more than 1000 fans participated.
Forever remembered as the man whose last-gasp drop-goal won England the
Rugby World Cup by edging past the hosts in Australia in 2003.
That moment is just one highlight of a record-breaking career that has seen Wilkinson rise to one of the sport’s all-time greats.
England won 67 of the 91 games Wilkinson played in with h1im scoring an outstanding total of 1,179 points. He also holds the Rugby World Cup points record with 277.
Within the top 20 players voted by the fans, New Zealand have the most representatives with five, including the likes of Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and Zinzan Brooke.
The only player to make the list from the amateur era is Wales best ever player,
and arguably the best scrum-half of all-time, Gareth Edwards.Here is the list of the top 20 greatest ever rugby players voted by fans:
Greatest Ever Rugby Player: Top 20
20. Sergio Parisse (Italy)
19. Johnny Sexton (Ireland)
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. Gareth Edwards (Wales)
6. Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
5. Joost van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
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)