A long held topic of conversation in the various Gagger family households has been the Wilkinson myth; idiot-savant kicker and solid tackler – yes, god’s own five-eighth – fark no.
I realise it can sound like RWC’03 sour grapes, but Blind Freddy could see that Wilkinson’s predilection for running directly sideways into his centres has created the need for neolithic pairings the likes of Noone and Tindall, and ruled out any chance of backline fluidity. Freddie dud-eyes could also spot that
Jonny has turned out to be a shithouse tactical kicker. In fact, describing “hoofing the ball down the centre of the park” as “tactical” is against the trade’s descriptions act.
But while sight challenged Fredalo could see it, 50 million poms (plus a fair few others) couldn’t. It was Jonny who won the World Cup and he was to many the best fly-half in the world, for some time at least. But all of that is changing. After nigh on 7 years, the Emperor’s new clothes aren’t nearly so flash. The faithful are starting to ask – has Jonny gone orf? A question that I would argue is mis-directed: he was never that good.
Last Sunday Stuart Barnes of The Times wrote a brilliant piece called Why Jonny Wilkinson in wrong team is wrong selection. I’d urge you to read it, but the closing paragraphs summarise it, and Gagger family thinking well:
Nothing has gone wrong with Wilkinson. He is as almost as good as ever but he was not the great player many wanted him to be. England might have won the World Cup without Wilkinson. He could not have achieved his prodigious feats (except as a goalkicker) outside a team so drilled that he slotted unthinkingly into a system, following not leading.
In a well-balanced team Wilkinson might turn back the clock but in the wrong team he is the wrong selection. Johnson doesn’t understand that under his management, he and Wilkinson are exaggerating each other’s glaring weaknesses while England suffer.
Well written Stuart, and just in the week when Danny Cipriani signs with the Rebels. Irony anyone?
