Wilko to miss Lions tour
9 Apr 2009
Jonny Wilkinson will certainly miss the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa after his rehabilitation on his injured kneecap was put back a further two weeks.
The England flyhalf had hoped to return to action for Newcastle later this month, but according to reports in England he will now be left off the teamsheet for the Falcons’ next two matches, meaning he will not play before the Lions squad is announced on 21 April.
Lions head coach Ian McGeechan has maintained his selection policy will be based on form and not reputation, which seems to suggest the chances of Wilkinson featuring against the Boks in June are slim to none.
41 Comments
9 Apr 2009, 12:15 pm
In the Amatuer Days, this Dragon would have retired 4 years ago.
They just can’t give up now. The money is just too huge.
9 Apr 2009, 12:24 pm
So it’s Jones and O’Gara then?
With Cipriani, Hook and Flood hoping to get a look-in…
9 Apr 2009, 12:30 pm
#2 puff:
Waste of time taking O’Gara.
Too gun-shy.
9 Apr 2009, 12:52 pm
I feel sorry for him. He was such a great player and so unlucky for years, maybe it’s time to retire for good and save what’s left from bones and tissues?
9 Apr 2009, 12:55 pm
#4 Nils:
I’m gunna nominate that post for the Booker Award.
9 Apr 2009, 13:00 pm
It’s a pity that he has had such fitness problems since ’03. Imo before Carter came along he was head and shoulders above anyone else and set the tone for fly-halves in the professional era.
I remeber him on that England tour to SA (think 07)when Spies destroyed the Poms, Wilko stood up in that tour and tackled Spies and Rossouw as hard as anyone has in there careers.
9 Apr 2009, 13:12 pm
now this is a major blow for the b lions chances…
9 Apr 2009, 13:12 pm
It would only take a couple of early injuries to the B&I Lions on tour and Wilko could still get called in and end up playing a vital role for them . . .
9 Apr 2009, 13:13 pm
Bad news for Wilko and the Lions, awesome news for the Bokke! Let’s just hope our ANC supporting Snor can get us tactically and physically right for the Lions tour.
9 Apr 2009, 13:14 pm
“Lions head coach Ian McGeechan has maintained his selection policy will be based on form and not reputation, which seems to suggest the chances of Wilkinson featuring against the Boks in June are slim to none.”
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McGeech just must have pity and not select him even when he looks like fit man.
We all want Wilko to live long and well, really. There is a life outside rugby pitch.
9 Apr 2009, 13:16 pm
I don’t think Wilko really had a chance to be selected for the tour. He hasn’t played at all in the last couple of months and I think the flyhalf wild card pick will be for Cipriani along with Jones and O’Gara.
Cipriani cos the coach works with him on a daily basis. If he starts it can be very good for the Boks.
9 Apr 2009, 13:34 pm
#1 cane: Wilkinson isn’t playing for the money, already worth in the region £12m so doesn’t need it, he’s playing because he loves rugby and plans to go on until he’s 40.
#2 puff: between Hook and Flood for the 3rd flyhalf spot.
#10 Nils: not for Wilkinson
9 Apr 2009, 13:39 pm
Bummer, not gonna be much fun beating them now.
But I hope he recovers quickly… the man’s made of glass
9 Apr 2009, 13:45 pm
#12 Big Hit: How young is he – 28 or something? And already having number of injuries, normal people (and even most of the sportsmen) would get in 10 lifetimes.
Anyway, I would not wish him see getting life threatening injury on the pitch one day, that’all. Every body has its limit.
9 Apr 2009, 13:46 pm
#14 Nils: life threatening? it’s rugby not boxing
it’s only life threatening when thugs try to spear tackle and fortunately it’s not commonplace in the NH.
9 Apr 2009, 13:49 pm
#12 Big Hit: 40+ IMHO…Injury time spent off the field will guarantee longevity.
9 Apr 2009, 13:58 pm
#15 Big Hit:
Yeah just the good ole Shaw knee in the back trying to cripple someone.
But in the NH he might get lured into an English teams motel and get raped,now that happens quite a bit.
9 Apr 2009, 14:35 pm
#15 Big Hit: you simply cannot write a post without dissing something down south, can you? At all costs should insert something like that.
Life threatening – when body has had enough, that’s what I mean. You cannot get injured all the time and not pay the price in the end.
9 Apr 2009, 14:47 pm
Gee, how quick some are to just remember the good old days (2002-03) and forget the bad old days (2005-06).
Wilko sure could kick.
And, man, for a wee fella he sure could tackle !
And
hang on
I dont seem to remember all his other Godlike attributes.
Put him out to pasture FFS.
Has anyone ever read 1 of his books/articles ?
This guy is in SERIOUS need of some fun in his life. A little ‘balance’, shall we say. He is possibly the sports/Worlds Most Boring Person.
9 Apr 2009, 14:52 pm
#19 BlackPanther: His rugby talents were amazing. Never commented on his other attributes, anyway SA has never had a flyhalf in the professional era to match him (including Honiball). NZ and Aus are very lucky in that they have had those eg. Carter, Giteau, Larkham etc.
You cant deny that he was a great player.
9 Apr 2009, 14:56 pm
#19 BlackPanther:
“This guy is in SERIOUS need of some fun in his life. A little ‘balance’, shall we say. He is possibly the sports/Worlds Most Boring Person.”
lol,but as you say,kicking and tackling is what he does best and thats it.He will be remembered as a game saver and winner for England cos without him England would have been quite a an average team in 2002-2003
9 Apr 2009, 15:16 pm
#20 Corndog:
Nowhere did I say he wasnt a Great player.
He was a Great player.
But by no means was he as good as what people would have us believe.
When he played for the Lions, starting at flyhalf in the 2nd Test, he looked like an anachronism playing opposite Carter. Suddenly it was blindingly obvious that ALL he could do was kick and tackle.
He missed a couple of kicks, and then he looked very limited.
He then missed 2 tackles on Carter. Immediately subbed off after the 2nd with 20mins to go. He was not injured, as BH would probably like to tell you.
When a player – no matter how Great he was – can no longer rely on the 2 key attributes that made him ‘Great’, well….
Look, if you want to compare him with flyhalfs like Carter, Larkham, Giteau, Bennett, Ella, Mehrtens etc then thats one thing.
But I think its better to compare him to the Great Kickers of all time like Fox, Botha, Jenkins, Campbell, Lynagh. He certainly holds his own in this company.
9 Apr 2009, 15:25 pm
#20 Corndog:
Honiball was the equal of any.
9 Apr 2009, 15:27 pm
#22 BlackPanther: Wilkinson played injured in that 2nd test and only lasted until not long after half time. Prior to that series he only had played about 3 games in 2 years so was in no way in peak shape.
I’m not sure why you have Giteau in the same bracket as those other players, he’s not on that level. Wilkinson was a running flyhalf from 2000-2003, his running game since then hasn’t been so prominent so it’s easy to see why you’ve forgotten it. He was actually England’s most frequent line-breaker along with Jason Robinson.
9 Apr 2009, 15:32 pm
#22 BlackPanther: Imo in his heydey he was more than a kicker and a tackler but that’s just me. Carter has overtaken him, no argument there.
9 Apr 2009, 15:58 pm
It is hard for us SH supporters to give an England player praise, but as far as i am concerned Wilko will go in history as one of the greats.
Yes RWC 2003 was his crawning moment but how he performed in RWC 2007 was nothing short of a miracle.
The reason he is injured so much is because of his heavy tackling that he does. Some of the hits that man has put in over the years was astonishing. Honnibal was built for that type of player, and Wilko wasn’t.
9 Apr 2009, 16:23 pm
#24 Big Hit:
Gee, he was the starting flyhalf for the 2nd Test. And the starting no12 for the previous Test.
In most peoples books, that player was not selected to start 2 consecutive Tests whilst ‘injured’.
But, of course, in your little World injuries are proof that youre ‘soft’, not mentally tough enough. Remember BH – DC went off in the 2ndH against France because, in your opinion, he ‘wasnt tough enough’. But when Wilko goes off after playing 3 consecutive matches – vs Wellington, 1st Tests, 2nd Test – well, its because he was selected despite injury.
When you say he’d “played 3 games in 2 years” well, the history books tell us, that he’d had 3 games in 3 weeks. He was, in other words, ‘fit’.
Honestly, this is boys against men. Why dont you just find someone your own size to play with. Theres a good boy, run away now.
9 Apr 2009, 16:37 pm
#27 BlackPanther: watch the game again, he had a couple of stingers tackling Tana Umaga and then Carter hit him with a forearm smash. I’m sure he would’ve played on but I doubt the medics would’ve allowed it.
Wilkinson was ok in that game for the time he was on, Henson was the weak link and missed crucial tackles which led to tries. If you have a copy of the first test watch the defensive work Wilkinson puts in. It was of course one of Carter’s finest ever performances but it’s silly to rate 10s on a single game.
9 Apr 2009, 16:54 pm
#28 Big Hit:
Youre a F R A U D.
Wilko wasnt.
You ARE.
Who said anything about rating him on a single game ? I was referring to 3 games, consecutively. 3 very average games where he looked like a Morris Minor against a Ferrari.
But, hang on, youve completely hung Carter out as ‘average…..soft…..loser’ on ONE SINGLE GAME vs France.
And C.Jack as being ‘soft’ for ONE SINGLE GAME vs France. Oh, thats right, other than the record books saying he didnt play. At all. Not even injured.
If you seriously think Wilko played ‘OK’ in that 2nd Test, then youre an even bigger FRAUD than I ever credited you for. He was absolutely ghastly. I have all matches, in full, and have watched them many times. Fool.
F R A U D !
9 Apr 2009, 17:03 pm
#29 BlackPanther: Pinky – give it a rest now. Big Hit’s a good guy with his own opinions, not shared in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
But you’ve made your fraud point of view, and now you’re sounding churlish and mean-spirited.
Your thoughts on the weekend’s games?
9 Apr 2009, 17:03 pm
#29 BlackPanther: why are you reacting like a child? (perhaps you are one?)
So let’s get this straight you’re rating Wilkinson on 3 games, one against Wellington which the Lions won, one in the first test where he played 12 (and was excellent in defence) and the 2nd test where he went off injured?
Carter is a bit soft, Butch James roughs him up on the regular and he does nothing but complain to the ref. He’s also mentally not up there with the toughest missing a large number of kicks and hesitant with the drop-goals. There are of course good things about his game but he’s not the player you build him up to be.
9 Apr 2009, 17:24 pm
#30 SodaJoe:
Sorry, that doesnt wash with me.
Churlish huh ? I call being negative about NZ/ABs/Kiwi teams, on every opportunity, embarrassingly so, and lauding SA/Boks/Safa players on a SA blog, ‘churlish’. Pathetic is a word I would also use.
Its OK when you can back it up with facts. But when you back it up with BS, that makes you a F R A U D. I make no apologies whatsoever for pointing that out.
I will give respect when its due. But not before then.
9 Apr 2009, 17:47 pm
#32 BlackPanther: All I am asking is that you let it lie. You’ve made your point.But I will only call it once. it’s not my business and it’s your call.
I like both of you.
9 Apr 2009, 17:49 pm
#31 Big Hit: I think you can give it a break to Biggles. It does become 1 dimensional on your side as well.
And that’s all I have to say about that.
Have a good long weekend girls. No Easter here in the US.
9 Apr 2009, 18:08 pm
#33 SodaJoe:
Ive already told BH that I will give him respect when he starts showing some, he knows that.
Of course, opinions are only that, an expression of ones subjective interpretations. So when I say ‘Wilko was Great but not THAT Great’ thats just my opinion.
When BH says ‘Carter is soft’ then I have absolutely NO PROBLEM with that whatsoever.
Its the facts he uses to back it up that expose BH. Truly, Id be embarrassed typing some of that sh*te.
Dont for 1 minute assume that I am on a 1-man BH-is-BS Crusade either. There are repeated comments on this blog and not only from the Kiwis he hopes to bait. Even today, Nils – the Latvian – has said how predictable and tiresome his baiting is.
Like I said, I’ll give some respect when I see some.
10 Apr 2009, 01:59 am
Bind all his sick-notes together and it’ll make the Encylopaedia Britannica look as skinny as a comic-book.
11 Apr 2009, 03:43 am
#36 TheTackler:
lol
Tackler,there will be 1 page of excuses/theories and the other 1000 pages would be a repeat of the first page.
I will give you a sneak preview of some of the paragraphs.
Paragraph #
1) It was raining
2) Injuries
3) Forward pack didnt turn up to play.
4) Wait till the AIs
5) That wasnt a grand slam
6) I love Wayne Barnes
8) Spear tackles
As said sneak preview and we all know their is more.As said the other 1000 pages are repeats of 1st page
11 Apr 2009, 03:44 am
#37 Hurricane:
Look at that i have just learnt that 7) is that smiley face.
Oh and by the way post #37 was about Big Hits excuse and theories
11 Apr 2009, 03:45 am
Hmmm
8) 7) 0*
11 Apr 2009, 03:46 am
Ok i see now
11 Apr 2009, 09:45 am
This is great news.. Wilko can win a game by himself without scoring a try..
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