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Jonny Wilkinson

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Jonny Wilkinson is one of the best rugby union players ever.

Jonny Wilkinson Twickenham cropped
Jonny Wilkinson Twickenham cropped

He was a fly-half, which is a key position on the field. He played for the Newcastle Falcons in England for twelve seasons. Later, he moved to France to play for Toulon.

ST vs RCT 2012 12 Jonny Wilkinson kicking a penalty (cropped)
ST vs RCT 2012 12 Jonny Wilkinson kicking a penalty (cropped)

He was a master at scoring points through kicking. Wilkinson holds the record for the most points scored at both of his clubs. His skill and hard work made him a hero to many fans.

To score points, Wilkinson used several different types of kicks. He was very good at conversions and penalty goals.

Jonny Wilkinson conversion
Jonny Wilkinson conversion

He was also famous for the drop goal. A drop goal happens when a player kicks the ball immediately after it touches the ground. In the 2003 Rugby World Cup final, he used this skill to win the game. The score was tied at 17–17 in the last minute of extra time. His kick helped England win 20–17 against Australia. This moment is one of the most famous in rugby history.

Wilkinson was born on May 25, 1979, in Surrey, England.

He grew up in Farnham and went to several schools. He even had a place at the University of Durham. However, he gave up his university spot in 1997. He wanted to become a professional player with the Newcastle Falcons instead. He started his career there as an inside centre. He soon moved into the fly-half role that made him famous.

His career was full of big matches and many records.

He played 91 times for the England national team. In the 2003 World Cup, he scored 113 points in total. This was the highest score of any player in that tournament. He also toured with the British & Irish Lions twice. These tours were in 2001 to Australia and 2005 to New Zealand. He earned 6 caps while playing for the Lions.

Rugby can be a very tough sport for the body. Wilkinson had to face many hard jobs due to injuries. He suffered a dislocated shoulder during a match against South Africa.

England v Italy 20070210
England v Italy 20070210

He also had to recover from a serious leg injury in 2001. Despite these struggles, he always came back to play at a high level. He retired from professional rugby at the end of the 2013–14 season. In 2016, he was honored by being put into the World Rugby Hall of Fame. Now, he shares his knowledge as a pundit on ITV Sport.

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🖼️ Images & Media (9)
File:The gods were not shining on Jonny today Galerie de fat dad.jpg
The gods were not shining on Jonny today...
File:Jonny Wilkinson David Coldrey Quins 15 Newcastle 9 Guinness Premiership 2932008.jpg
Jonny Wilkinson David Coldrey Quins 15...
File:Jonny Wilkinson conversion.jpg
Jonny Wilkinson conversion.jpg
File:St Jonny signing autographs.jpg
St Jonny signing autographs.jpg
File:England v Italy 20070210.jpg
England v Italy 20070210.jpg
File:Jonny Wilkinson Statue - Trafalgar Square - London, England - October 19th 2007..jpg
Jonny Wilkinson Statue - Trafalgar Square...
File:Jonny Wilkinson 2009 08 england training 2.jpg
Jonny Wilkinson 2009 08 england training 2.jpg
File:ST vs RCT 2012 12 Jonny Wilkinson kicking a penalty (cropped).jpg
ST vs RCT 2012 12 Jonny Wilkinson kicking...
File:Jonny Wilkinson Twickenham cropped.jpg
Jonny Wilkinson Twickenham cropped.jpg
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