Skip to main contentAccess keys helpA-Z index

[an error occurred while processing this directive]
| Help
---------------
CHOOSE A SPORT
RELATED BBC SITES
Last Updated: Monday, 10 January, 2005, 14:12 GMT
Jonny absence spurs Welsh hopes
Jonathan Davies
By Jonathan Davies
Wales rugby legend

Sometimes players have a spate of bad luck and, unfortunately for Jonny Wilkinson, his seems to show no sign of easing at the moment.

Injuries are very frustrating for any player, more so for him because with the media attention he gets he is always in the public eye.

Some people are saying he is jinxed but if you look at what he has achieved in his career, really he has been very fortunate. He has done a lot of things that not many players have done.

Jonny Wilkinson is carried off after injuring his knee against Perpignan
Obviously, when he had the problems with his neck and shoulder it was extremely worrying for him, but he has overcome that.

The tackle at the weekend in which he got injured looked so innocuous, but a twisted knee is something that happens all the time in rugby.

In some ways he has been fortunate to get away with just that, because it could have been worse.

But he has been through the situation before, and he knows what is in front of him in terms of rehabilitation.

He has to cope with the frustration and disappointment and get on with it now.

Jonny's injury leaves England with a very interesting midfield selection for the opening game with Wales.

Charlie Hodgson will surely be at number 10 now, but it will be interesting to see who England decide on at number 12 and 13 with Will Greenwood and Mike Tindall both injured.

Having pulled Henry Paul off against Australia, it is difficult to see Andy Robinson selecting him against Wales.

But he has other options among those playing in the Zurich Premiership, which in terms of intensity is up there with the level of Test rugby. If you are doing it there, then with a bit extra you should be able to do it at international level.

Certainly there will be a lot of interest in players like Stuart Abbott, Jamie Noon and Ollie Smith over the next few weeks.

They know that if they play well they will put themselves in the frame. There has also been talk of using Ben Cohen at centre and he would certainly get across the gain line.

An outside bet might be Mathew Tait up at Newcastle. He is only 18 and it would be a big call, but if you are good enough, you are old enough, so why not?

If he has a big game in the next week or two, then he will have a good chance of doing the job for England.

The danger for Wales is people could start making them favourites
None of these players will get a better opportunity with the established trio injured.

Wales won't mind who is playing for England, they just want to win and their preparation will be exactly the same.

You could put 15 cardboard cut-outs of Englishmen out there and still fill the stadium for this game; it is a massive fixture.

Wales have played so well recently but just haven't been able to get that victory over one of the major teams. But they are really looking forward to playing England.

The danger is that people will point to the England players missing and start saying Wales have got more of a chance, to the point where they could even make them favourites.

I still don't think they are despite the likes of Jonny not being there, but it certainly makes it interesting.




RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites


E-mail services | Sport on mobiles/PDAs

MMIX

Back to top

Sport Homepage | Football | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Motorsport | Boxing | Athletics | Snooker | Horse Racing | Cycling | Disability sport | Olympics 2012 | Sport Relief | Other sport...

BBC Sport Academy >> | BBC News >> | BBC Weather >>
About the BBC | News sources | Privacy & Cookies Policy | Contact us
bannerwatch listenbbc sport