Michael Owen has long been known for his offbeat punditry, but in a recent chat with former England teammate Rio Ferdinand, he may have just dialed it up a notch.
He started with respect, tipping his hat to Jonny Wilkinson’s legendary status—then plunged straight into a jaw-raising rant.
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“Oh yeah. England rugby player, Lions rugby player — I mean, just the greatest, the greatest kicker ever. I was up at Newcastle; he played for Newcastle Falcons. We were sharing the same… he came in to do this in our big dome, middle of winter. He came in and placed about twenty balls across the whole pitch halfway line.”
What followed was Owen’s vivid recollection of Wilkinson’s training ritual.
“He’d start on the first one and knock it over, knock it over, and then let’s say he missed the third one — he’d go collect the balls, put them back, start again. Yeah. And then he’d go bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang — nineteen in a row. Miss one over here? Start again. He wouldn’t leave the place until he’d done it all. I look at that and think — that’s weak. You can’t get over missing one?”
Owen admits he respects the dedication but questions the mentality behind it.
“Now, don’t get me wrong — practice, practice, practice all you like, that’s incredible. You know, keep practicing. But to start again and almost punish yourself for it? I’d be like, don’t do that. If I miss ten chances the day before, that’s practice. I’m going to Anfield — I raise my game at Anfield. I don’t miss at Anfield. That’s my mentality. It’s me, me, me… mentality.”
The conversation took a philosophical turn as Owen reflected on the difference between the two careers.
“And how you can… it just shows you listen, elite, absolute elite. Jonny Wilkinson — legend, absolute. But he did it totally the opposite to somebody else that can be elite. I had a filter that could just wipe that off a duck’s back. I’d still go and, you know, still go from the halfway line and finish.
"Yeah, that’s how I — that was my mentality. Both players had a lot of injuries. The difference between Owen and Wilkinson. One overcame it to establish himself as one of the greatest players of all time and the other ended their career as a joke. Up to you which ones which.”
Both players battled plenty of injuries. The difference? One fought through them to become one of the greatest players of all time — the other limped out of the game a punchline. Up to you which is which.
The 5 Best Fly-Halves Of All Time, Listed And Ranked
r's overall contribution to the game. So who makes it into our top five?
All stats come from ESPN.com and are correct as of the publish date. 5 Best Fly-Halves Of All Time
#5. Jonathan Davies (Wales)
Cross-code star Jiffy made up for his lack of height, standing 5ft 8in, with great pace, great acceleration and natural quality.
The fly-half would have made a lot more appearances for Wales if he had not switched to Rugby League between 1989 and 1995.
During his two periods in Union, he made a total 37 appearances for Wales and is considered one of Wales’s finest ever rugby talents.
Did you know? Davies has since become a television rugby football commentator and media personality, in both the Welsh and English languages.
#4. Johnny Sexton (Ireland)
At 36, Sexton’s place on this list of rugby’s best fly-halves is open to dispute.
But if his efforts in last season’s Six Nations and Autumn Internationals are anything to go by, there’s no argument to be had.
Yes, he is old and prone to injury. But the wily Dubliner is still the top dog for Ireland and Leinster.
Did you know? Sexton was the winner of World Rugby Player of the Year in 2018, having previously been a nominee for the award in 2014
#3. Michael Lynagh (Australia)
For a decade from his debut in 1984 to his international retirement in 1995, former Wallaby Skipper Lynagh was one of the most distinguishable players in World Rugby.
After 72 internationals, he had set a new point-scoring record of 911, which is still an Australia record.
He was an important member of the side that won the 1991 World Cup in England, but retired from International Rugby after Australia’s loss to England in the quarter-final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
Did you know? After quitting the game he maintained close links as a TV pundit in the UK with both Sky Sports and ITV as well as working with World Rugby
#2. Dan Carter (New Zealand)
Carter has established himself as one of the greatest players in history, being near faultless in every department: he can attack, break the line and kick accurately tactically or at goal.
The incomparable All Blacks playmaker, Vice Captain and top points’ scorer set a new international point-scoring record during New Zealand’s triumph at the Rugby World Cup 2011.
He has also won an incredible eight Tri-Nations/The Rugby Championship’s as well as a series victory over the British and Irish Lions in 2005.
Did you know? In 2008, American Cable Channel E! judged Carter to be 11th on its list of the world’s sexiest men.
#1. Jonny Wilkinson (England)
We could only have been one man as number one. 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 him scoring an outstanding total of 1,179 points. He also holds the Rugby World Cup points record with 277.
