Johnson drops Wilkinson but leaves door open

Thursday 18 March 2010
Published By: David Rawlings
Six Nations > England

Jonny Wilkinson has been dropped for this weekend's Six Nations game against France, the third time he has lost his place in the England team.

The number 10, who is the leading points scorer in world rugby, has been struggling for form in this year's competition and will make way for Toby Flood in the Stade de France on Saturday evening.

However, coach Martin Johnson has claimed that Wilkinson, who previously made way for Paul Grayson in the 1999 World Cup and Danny Ciprinai in the 2008 Six Nations, will always have the door open to him.

"Jonny is still a world-class player. If I thought Jonny was on the decline, I wouldn't have picked him for our last seven internationals. There's not many players in world rugby who could have dropped that goal against Ireland in the last 10 minutes," Johnson said.

Flood has been favoured because the coach sees him more as an "on-field general" than Wilkinson, who has being playing noticeably deep in the four fixtures so far.

"We need at least two players in every position and we would have been happy to pick Toby in every game so far. Toby has been an on-field general for us in the past two years. He is graduating into the leadership camp for us as he gets more experience," Johnson added.

If England are to salvage respect from this year's tournament they know a good showing against the champions-elect in Paris is essential, something which may be boosted slightly by the fact that they have come out on top against Les Bleus in the last four encounters between the sides.

Johnson remains under no illusions, however, and has called up a debutant and veteran respectively in the forms of winger Chris Ashton and Mike Tindall, who he hopes can counter the threat of the awesome Mathieu Bastareaud in Paris.

Posted by David Rawlings