NOW HEAR THIS: Jonny Wilkinson has plenty to say as England start an intense build-up period to the World Cup.


Jonny calls for ruthlessness
By DUNCAN JOHNSTONE - RugbyHeaven | Thursday, 2 August 2007

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4150414a10295.html

World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson insists England might only need the bounce of the ball or a crucial kick to secure a successful defence of the Webb Ellis silverware in France later this year. But he says they need the mental edge to claim that.

Wilkinson, who kicked England to glory four years ago in Australia, reasons that World Cups are tight affairs where the margins for victories or losses are more narrow than in normal test matches.

He acknowledges that England haven't maintained the dizzy heights they managed to ascend under Sir Clive Woodward in 2003.

But he warns not to write-off the men in white and says Brian Ashton's new-look team has to start getting more ruthless as their final preparations get undser way with a "friendly" against Wales at Twickenham this weekend.

"Now the pressure is on every game. We must create a team understanding, ethic and consistency that allows us to take games by the scruff of the neck," Wilkinson told the BBC.

"While the expectation is not so high among lesser-knowing rugby fans, inside the squad the pressure stays exactly the same.

"When that happens and everyone works for each other, you achieve that near-to-optimum level which allows you to win big games.

"In the World Cup it comes down to the bounce of the ball sometimes. If you're in that ball park where you can get that last kick to win or you can hang on at the end, you only have to do that a certain number of times and you're in the final.

"We need to work on that and see it happen in front of our eyes in big-match situations and that's why these three games will allow us to see where we are."