posted Mar 9, 2008

So two weeks ago against France he was fantastic and now you want to get rid of him because your forwards had a bad game and Scotland’s ball retention was just far superior?

Stuart Barnes makes those comments, one because he’s stupid, and secondly because he’s a journalist who creates a stir and sells newspapers by say such ridiculous things. I am Scottish and I have a huge amount of respect for Wilkinson and really believe that at the moment he is the best fly half England has. Also don’t really think if anyone else was playing at fly half yesterday that it would have changed the battle upfront, indiscipline or difficult conditions.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 9, 2008

Well said tulloch86.

Barnes talks more rubbish than any other writer I have ever known. He thinks that running it from deep is the way to play- crap. Games are won in the FORWARDS! Some people are so ignorant that it wasn't JW's fault we lost. He didn't play well, but when can a fly half play well if his pack cannot do anything? So many needless penalties and handling errors, it was unreal. Scotland loved it, BORING slow ball stuff and credit to them- they played the conditions well and knew england couldn't hack it!

As for Wilko, everyone was saying after the french game, how great it was that he was back to form and all that- WHY? Because the PACK SHOWED UP IN PARIS THAT IS WHY!!!!!!! He is THE world record holder for test points and those statistics do NOT lie. People forget the dark times england had with Hodgson and Goode at FH- it was depressing stuff. At least we know if our pack turns up, he will kick us the points. If Cips had played yesterday, it would have been dreadful too, the worst conditions for running rugby ever. Wilko was not at his best, but drop him and it will get even worse for england mark my words.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 9, 2008

Who started this 'drop Wilkinson' rubbish? Stuart Barnes?!?
I watched the game with French commentary, and they thought it was extremely odd that Ashton took him off, especially at the same time as Vickery, the two leaders of the team. They didn't think Wilko had a bad game at all, bad by HIS standards maybe...

Wilkos stats when he left the field were:
4 runs, 10 passes, 15 kicks, 1 error!!!
Only one error...!
His penalty kick stats were 75%. The one he missed was dead straight but a bit short from a long way out in the rain and wind...

His kicking out of hand was below his usual standards, but to be fair a couple of different bounces would have changed a lot, Scotland had a lot of luck with the bounce.

In fact Wilko himself looked surprised to be taken off, so I reckon that Stuart Barnes must have made some remark about dropping Wilko, and all you 606 sheep are just mindlessly repeating his stupid views without thinking for yourselves...The guy hates Wilko as far as I can remember!

He had an average game, not a bad game.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 9, 2008

My following thoughts involving Wilkinson, are mainly conjecture.

I personally think he's on the way out. Mainly as I had heard that he'd been preparing for a big money move to an unnamed french club. Injury and a realistic shelf-life expectancy put the dampeners on that move and his Newcastle contract was renewed. there's always money to be made when big names are linked to your club, and he's definitely a financial asset. the French stuff could, admittedly, be myth.

Add this to the fact that the Lions/Argentina points were added to his all time score tally (three years later) so that he could overtake Jerkins' record yesterday...was there pressure for these to be added quickly, before the end of the six nations with the knowledge of an upcoming retirement?

This isn't meant to annoy or wind anyone up. Good on him for getting the record...it's not like he didn't put in the work to get where he is today. especially with all his injuries. It's just that I think that, for me, all signs are pointing to the fact that this will be Wilkinson last international season.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 9, 2008

Jonny Wilkinson is the best fly-half england has ever had. The problem is everyone has such high expectations of his that when he doesn't produce and amazing performance it seems a lot worse.
Last week he was our best player like he usually is but people like to forget his good bits.
Whatever anyone says about him it has to take an outstanding player to break the world record for points scored.
Why throw away a perfectly good player when we don't have anyone of his standard to replace him?

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 9, 2008

Oh give it a break porridge!

(Thanks for calling my post 'pathetic' BTW you CHILD)

Only a mean spirited boffon would claim a man who holds the world record for scoring is a poor player.
You don't get to the top without being the best.

I imagine you remember Gavin Hastings?

A sniper of a kicker for Scotland and an open player much in JW's mould (though he played mainly at FB). Similar proportion of his points were from kicks too.

Is HE a poor player in your eyes?

Didn't think so. This is more to do with the fact that JW is English than poor isn't it?

I pity you that you can't just celebrate your sides tenacious win over England without sla99ing off all things English.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 9, 2008

I thought JW had a shocker yesterday, not helped by the poor showing from the pack, but his kicking out of hand was abysmal. On several occasions he kicked it straight to the opposition down the middle of the park with no back up plan. This is not the playmaking of a world class 10.

I understand that the weather was poor, but surely aim a bit more for touch and give the forwards a chance of competing for line-out ball??

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 9, 2008

Hodgson came on for the last 20 minutes, nothing changed, he continued to kick the ball away, and everytime he tried to make a break he got scragged. Thank goodness we didn't score a try and the result depended on Hodgson having to covert it for the win.

Having said that, Jonny was poor. But the Scots were up for it, that was the difference.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 9, 2008

It's all very well speculating on England's disastrous performance yesterday but we don't actually know what the hell is going on in that England camp.
I am not going to lay the blame on the shoulder's of an individual but perhaps the players are really unhappy under Ashton's reign? Just something to think about.
As for JW - time to say goodbye? Get real. He's 28, holds the record for points with three years out due to injury. Somehow I think he'll bounce back.
It's ok for a team to have a bad match. Disappointing for the fans but they can't always perform at the top, and right now England are not doing well. Wales on the other hand are on the brink of a grand slam, but what have they done since 2005? My point being that there are booms and slumps and it's a matter of accepting that and moving forward.
If I can be so bold, dare I suggest JW is made captain next week? Leadership needs to come from the backs; clearly Vickery isn't having much luck up front, so why not try someone else. Yes, JW had an appalling game yesterday, but so did the other 14 players on the field. The problem is that everyone lays the blame at his feet whenever something goes wrong, because we are so used to him saving the day. When he doesn't manage it, the man is a criminal. Dropping Wilkinson isn't the solution, mark my words.
Lastly, congratulations to Scotland on their deserved win.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Mar 9, 2008

Can I also just add that Stuart Barnes writes the most irritating things I have ever read. Can we just take a look at his stats: 10 caps for England in 9 years. I think that says it all. Bitter and jealous. Whenever Jonny has a bad day he jumps on it, licking his lips, just because he wasn't a quarter of the player JW is. When JW does something good he still manages to find fault. Nothing the man writes is worth reading. He is one of those critics who thinks he knows it all, but clearly hasn't a clue.
Well said Tulloch86, Handy-legend and mysteriousblablabla.

add comment | complain about this comment