Watch out for H-bombs, Wilko warns England

Jan 31 2008 Western Mail

JONNY WILKINSON has given a glowing assessment of Wales’ H-bombs and poured scorn on those who maintain England have only got to turn up on Saturday to win.

The 2003 World Cup final hero last night revealed his admiration for James Hook and Gavin Henson.

Branding them and Shane Williams potential match-winners and a threat to any side in the world, he warned of the danger they pose to English hopes of getting their Six Nations title bid off to a flyer.

“Shane on the wing, Gavin in the centre and James at outside-half, those guys are game-breakers,” insisted Wilkinson.

“They bring that unpredictable side, which makes them such a great team to watch. But they can do the predictable particularly well, like kicking.”

And he was adamant, “They must be looking forward to the next four years as being pretty exciting. Wales must be a great side to be a part of now.

“It is an enormously tough match ahead of us. We are starting afresh, and we have got to find our feet quickly.”

He voiced his opinion amid expectations on the English side of the border with Wales that it is inevitable the World Cup finalists will dispose of the tournament flops and start their bid for European glory in some style.

Wilkinson was having none of that, blasting, “If anyone is under the illusion of going out against Wales just because it is at Twickenham and they had a World Cup which wasn’t what they wanted has anything to do with it, it is ridiculous.”

He pointed out England have been hit by the retirement of Lawrence Dallaglio, Jason Robinson, Martin Corry and Mike Catt, and injuries to Nick Easter, Harry Ellis and Joe Worsley.

Wilkinson compared the situation in Wales with Welsh morale having rocketed since the appointment of Warren Gatland as coach.

“This is a great Welsh side. You have only got to look at the form and the quality of the guys in their team,” he said.

“I have met James a few times and he is a great guy. I think he is a fantastic player.”

Wilkinson (right) was nonplussed by Gatland’s decision to pick 13 Ospreys players – Blues flanker Martyn Williams and Scarlets wing Mark Jones are the exceptions – in his first Wales team.

“It looks pretty much like it is a form team. They have got a great backline there and the guys will know each other from their club experience,” he said.

“There is a real blend of different qualities. Because they are like a club side, they will combine very positively.

“There is size, power and ball movement in it. All those qualities come together to make a very professional, quick, pacy, powerful and, I guess, a kind of ruthless end product.

“The only expectation will be, if both sides go in there and play at their best, they have both got a chance of winning.”

Wilkinson has only been on the losing side once against Wales in seven meetings – at Wembley in 1999 during the last Five Nations match to be played.

But he reckons Wales’ failure to return home victorious from Twickenham since Adrian Hadley touched down twice to begin their successful Triple Crown bid in glorious fashion 20 years ago means nothing.

“We expect these guys to be world-class. I don’t really buy into such a thing as external expectation. It is an internal thing,” explained the British Lions star.

“It was the same at the World Cup. People expected us to win against guys we had enormous respect for.

“We were expected to beat the like of Samoa and Tonga, but they were incredibly tough pool games.”

Wilkinson claimed the presence of young pretender Danny Cipriani, who has publicly stated his intention to tear the No 10 jersey off the back of England’s flag-bearer, is a plus.

“I maybe have a different view on this sort of thing to what people expect,” he said.

“I think it is fantastic, not that someone necessarily will be perceived as pushing me, but because I never think that jersey is mine and someone is fighting for it.

“You need guys like Danny in this league, driving the standards, lifting the people around and alongside him.

“He is setting the parameters of what is needed. That can only be great for English rugby, the squad and the game in general.”

Wilkinson believes the standard of England’s Guinness Premiership is now so high any comfort zone has disappeared.

“We are involved in games most weekends that are uncomfortable, not in a painful sense, but in a mentally challenging way,” he said.

“It means we are comfortable making big decisions when we are five points down with two minutes to go.”

Wilkinson suggested London Wasps sensation Cipriani is further ahead in his development than he was at 20.

“I see a guy who is coping with it a lot better than I did. I see a guy who has got that sort of authoritative side.

“He has got, already, a good rounded view of where he is and wants to go. It is not a case of him coming in to toe the line.

“Danny has got his mind set on what he wants and how he wants to play the game. That is a fantastic approach.

“It makes for clear decisions, which is what people want. For a young guy to stand up and be like that is fantastic.”

Wilkinson revealed England would play to their strength – their forwards – against Wales, but insisted he was at his happiest when all 15 players were handling and running with the ball.

“I have always said it was a case of how do we win and how do we give ourselves the best chances of winning.

“Once we get a basic understanding of what we want to do, I firmly believe you would see the best of all our players.

“We need all the players to buy into it. The sooner the better because I think our strength is to try and get our guys in the game.”