Jonny Wilkinson
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I know that being positive is the appropriate frame of mind here, but I am genuinely feeling that way about my damaged ankle. We have to wait to let it settle and recover, but it is not a long-term injury and while I am loath to be held to any sort of a date, I am looking at the South Africa match a week tomorrow as a game that I am hoping and still determined to play in.
This weekend is out, against the United States, we all know that, but after that it is totally open. That is the general feeling among the medical team. I am going day by day and there is a realistic chance that thereafter anything – and by that I mean playing in the South Africa game – is possible. In terms of injury recovery, it is still too far in the future to know, but South Africa is certainly the goal.
Once the US game is out of the way, I would then be looking to be getting back involved again. In order for me to play against South Africa, at some point in the middle of next week I need to be working and running on the ankle properly. I am hugely positive mentally about that, especially given how quickly the ankle has settled down.
An indication of where I am with it is that I was far more concerned about the hamstring that was troubling me during the Six Nations Championship. The ankle is more of a sure thing, it is a typical professional rugby injury – a bit of bad luck, you deal with it, quick recovery, short time out.
The way it happened was in a training session, Steve Borthwick and Phil Vickery went to ground and as I stepped over them to get out of the way I just put my foot down in the wrong place. I am not sure if I misjudged where Steve was or whether I had not seen his foot at all or whether he may have moved it slightly, but as my foot came down and I put my weight on it, I was on the edge of Steve’s boot and not on flat ground.
How much did it hurt? I have had so many injuries now that I cannot compare which feels worse. This one registered quite high up the pain league, but that may just be because it is the most recent.
The pain did go quite quickly. It was a bit like a shoulder “stinger” – horrendous at the time, but as quickly as the pain comes, it fades away. I thought the swelling was pretty impressive, but apparently in general terms it was not, so now I am wishing I was a bit tougher when it happened.
So I am now back on crutches, which is infuriatingly frustrating. Initially, with this injury, it is all about keeping the weight off it, but hopefully after 48 hours we can be more aggressive with it.
Today the squad is visiting the First World War battlefields, which is something I am very keen to do, but when I compiled the column yesterday, I still did not know whether I would be able to go. I will certainly be making that trip another time, even if I cannot do it today, but right now there is no point doing anything that presents the remotest risk of impeding the recovery process.
And yes, after all the recent years of injury frustration, it does seem a little unfair that my name should again be on the injury list, and on only day one of our World Cup campaign. Yet while there have been plenty of dark times as I have battled through injuries, this is not one of them. That may not make sense, with so much at stake, but it reflects how positive I am about getting back out there and playing.
The good thing is that I am so completely at ease in myself and I know that is a good sign. I am enjoying the fact that the ankle has settled down so quickly. It seems to be passing all the tests. What’s it like after a night’s sleep? What’s it like after 24 hours? Every indication so far suggests that it is recovering quickly.
Jonny Wilkinson plays at fly-half for Toulon and England. After making his international debut aged 18, he played a crucial role in helping England to win the World Cup in 2003. He provides an exclusive insider’s view on rugby in a regular column for The Times
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HI Jonny hows it going,noway are you going to beat the ozzies.Go the All Blacks,your lot are "to old". The ozzies will win by 20
AP Headifen, Wellington, New Zealand
Jonny,
I watched you play against Samoa and thought you played great. Specifically I thought the place kick you made from over half way was spectacular. I was wondering, what do you think your maximum range is, and what, in your opinion, is your the best place kick of your career?
Daniel Scott, Sydney, Australia
Jonny! Just seen you will be possibly playing the next England game! Excellent news! Glad you are better! Hope all goes well for you guys! I am an English girl living out in NZ and all I hear is the AB's are going to win this time around, and its doing my head in! Good luck England!!
Nina Wild, Tauranga, New Zealand
I know how much it hurts!
I had the same injury 4years ago, during a basketball trainning session. The injury could`ve ruin my career. I had the worse 6 weeks of my life. I have canceled my physical preparations for entering University and following my dream of becoming physical therapist. I hadn`t another chance. The injury doesn`t recover unless the psychic helps.
Now I`m in the teminal year, I`ll be a physical therapist, the injury is now somewhere in the past.
Impossible is nothing, in fact. I hope you`ll recover soon! (we all miss the way you shine!!) A big BRAVO for your optimistic thinking !!!
All the best, Diana (Romania)
Diana S., Satu Mare, Romania
Jonny Wilkinson is essential to the England team not only for his kicking ability but his tactical awareness, his commitment and leadership qualities.
If Andy Farrell can play fly-half, then Jonny can play in the centre in order to avoid being an easy target for back rows and minimising the risk of the big hits.
This will prolong the career of the guy who is unquestionably the best rugby player in the world.
David Byrne, Doncaster, England
get better soon jonny...my seven year old son (your biggest fan) is so looking forward to seeing you play again. We where at the france match at twickenham and he watched you get off the coach...he turned to me and said "is that really jonny...WOW" Good luck and play like you always do...with passion!!
chris waddington, retford, england
Jonny, you are a great player. I mean you were a great player. You need to accept the fact that you are injury prone and therefore will never be a consistent player in the England team.Say if you had a faulty car that kept breaking down, you would get a new one. Let Olly have a chance
Ben Cheyney, Oxford, England
Jonny ,you most certainly have the agility and positive mind set of the *Titan* of Rugby.
You are remarkable with your *Never* say *Never* spirit.
It most definately is one of your strengths.You are without doubt a hero ,and an inspiration to every human spirit who feels the job cant be done.
All one has to do is absorb your spirit ,courage and will along with determination shine.
I truly wish you and all the England Team much success.
Good Luck - Jonny.
Thank-you Jonny for doing England proud.
You are an inspiration to all sports men and women.
Name Withheld, Sydney, Australia
we all want jonny to recover as soon as poss . Jonny is a symbol of successful england , world cup winning england .
andrew willson, london,
Jonny , I hope you recover in time to play against the Springboks. Whilst I will be cheering all the way for Springboks, the highlight on any game against England is seeing you in action.
Judy Baikie , Durban , South Africa
Its amazing how you stay so possitive after all the knocks you have had, both physically and from the press! Totally inspirational! Seeing you all at Scrum in the Park the other weekend, highlighted that it is a team game and not just about one member, as the press like to make out. Admittedly Fridays game wasn't amazing, but at least we won, (unlike the French) which is the main objective. Loving your work boys!! All the best....
Suzie Miller, London, UK
jonny is every england supporters favourite player because he is englands best player . good luck jonny.
andrew willson, london,
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George Colson, Leighton Buzzard, Beds
Good on you JW - onwards & upwards mate!
However I want to say that to all the team, progression & positive mental outlook applies to each & every member of the squad. This World Cup isn't just about one guy who can kick, Rugby is a team game and takes tremendous effort from all 15 guys on the field & bench to pull through to the next stage. Jonny you will always be a favourite player because of that magic moment in the 03 final & I am so glad none of this manic hype and expectation gets to you, but I wish the media would let up on scrutinising eveything that happens to you - to give you a break for one thing! - but also to support the England Team as a whole. Recent Internationals may not have given us the results we all want to see & be proud of and it is disheartening, but like many supporters I think we have every chance of winning this again if you play as well as you say you can. Stay strong! You can really do this if you want it bad enough.
Dee Harriss, Basildon, Essex, England
the british game is awful and extremely boring, they didn' t deserve to win the last world cup.They win thanks to the others' mistakes.They only score penalties and the word "try" doesn' t belong to their vocabulary,each time they score a try,( it happens about 3 times a century), it begins to snow in summer.You will notice they often win with an odd number thanks to penalties(3,6,9,12,,18etc) .They are often very lucky, except when they play against the all blacks, the best team in theworld.I hope we will play against England and that we will learn them how to play good rugby.The only players I like in this team is Mike Catt and Noon when he doesn' have the ball in hands, the others are maybe to heavy to play well.I ve put two videos of genuine rugby below,but the england's supporters risk to get an heart attack, because it will go too fast for them.
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=YEYAaU0ym0c
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=1Oj52lEwVz4
John Mc durtle, Auckland, New Zealand
A note to all the England squad! We still Believe and a wall of white will be around each Stadium in support.
Defence wins games! Play like World Champions and make us proud!
Good luck to you all and a rapid recovery to you JW!
Nick Roach, Henely-on-Thames, England
I am so glad that Jonny stays positive, because it is such a blow and disappointment to me as a rugby lover to see him injured even before the opening of the event. I pray that he will be ready to face the South African team, because the World Cup will not be the same without him. He suffered so many injuries and overcame them miraculously that I believe he will do the same with this one. He is such an inspiration as a sportsman, and it is a shame about all the criticism that came his way these past few weeks, but hopefully he will recover in time to proof his critics wrong. I do not understand why one person has to go through so many trails and tribulations, but I do believe there is a reason for everything that comes our way. I know he will get through this one with flying colours again, because thatâs what makes him the unique and brilliant Jonny Wilkinson we know. This anonymous quotation is just for you Jonny , hang in there I believe everything will be all right. âAnyone can give up, itâ the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, thatâs, true strength.â
Veldie, Pretoria, South Africa
thats great news jonny i hope you will make it to the SA game. i also want to say thanks as i met you in 02 Scrum in the park on sunday and that is a moment ill never forget i told you you were my hero. Good luck Jonny you can do it onwards and upwards
Cumaren Sivalingam, Kingston, Surrey