Jonny Wilkinson, who kicked the extra-time drop goal in 2003 to win the Rugby World Cup, could be England’s saviour again after declaring himself fit to play against Samoa on Saturday.
Writing in his weekly column on Monday in the Times, Wilkinson said he is ready to test his right ankle with England needing to win in Nantes and then beat Tonga in Paris on September 28 to advance to the quarterfinals.
”So far, kicking-wise, I’ve been working mostly on my left foot, but I fully expect to be working on my right this week, too,” Wilkinson wrote. ”So I am, as we stand, now available for selection.”
England lost 36-0 to South Africa at the Stade de France on Friday in their worst defeat at any World Cup. Wilkinson said a team meeting on Saturday allowed the players to speak about what is needed to turn it around.
”The South Africa game now needs to be the final straw,” Wilkinson said. ”The hardest part was that until the final 10 minutes, we never really threatened the tryline.
”It absolutely has to be the vehicle that helps us to regain the proactive attitude that forces us to go out and fire some shots, physically, up front and in defence. In fact, in all parts of our game.”
Wilkinson sprained a ligament in his right ankle in training two weeks ago and has missed England’s first two matches of this World Cup, meaning his appearance against Samoa will be his first since his historic drop goal sealed the 2003 world title in Sydney.
Since that match, he has been plagued by injuries. He had not played for England in 1 169 days before returning in April after a series of neck, shoulder, arm, knee, appendix, groin and kidney injuries and his absence coincided with an alarming form slump for the world champions. — Sapa-AP