About time for Jonny Wilkinson

From World Cup-winning fly-half recently called time on his England career following 13-years that saw him earn 91 caps and make six appearances for the British and Irish Lions.


His finest moment arguably came in 2003 when a last-minute drop-goal saw England clinch the World Cup against host nation Australia.


Barnes believes Jonny Wilkinson has been a huge influence on the modern game, but thinks former England coach Martin Johnson should have relieved him of his international duties earlier.


"He should have called time earlier," Barnes told Sky Sports News HD. "It's sad for Jonny Wilkinson because there were people in this country who had blind faith in him and that faith was rather disturbed in 2011. He had a poor World Cup.


"For those of us who have looked at Jonny with two eyes it was no surprise. But I wouldn't criticise Jonny Wilkinson for that.


"He's a guy who is fiercely competitive, he wanted to win whenever he played. It was up to Martin Johnson to say 'your time has come'.


"What I would say about Wilkinson, whilst I feel there was a lot of hyperbole about him for the latter part of his career, from 2000 to 2003 he was by and large the best and most influential rugby player on the planet.


Wilkinson was then absent from England duty through a succession of quite dreadful injuries, which would have caused lesser players to throw in the towel. He was out of action for 1,169 days between the end of the Rugby World Cup final against Australia in 2003 and the start of the 2007 Six Nations Calcutta Cup match against Scotland at Twickenham on February 3 2007. He had just one opportunity during this time when he was a late addition (injury again) to the disastrous British Lions tour to New Zealand in 2005 coached by Sir Clive Woodward.
I wonder how we would have coped had we been away from work on and off for over three years? I suspect most of us would have been in and out of depression. We would most certainly have lost our confidence. We might also if we had had inadequate insurance and mortgage cover and been struggling to make ends meet.
Not our Jonny. What drove him? Was it a fear of failure, for he would always be the last to leave the training pitch, irrespective of the weather, going on and on for hours ironing out his weaknesses and improving his strengths. Aside from Roger Federer and Luke Donald, I doubt if there was ever a sportsman or woman in recent times who has spent so much time honing his considerable skills.
He must have been profoundly disappointed at the shenanigans at Twickenham this past six months. The lack of professionalism was a disgrace to the game he so loves. But while he would have been upset at Martin Johnsons resignation as England coach following the disappointing world cup in New Zealand, he was destined to retire from international rugby before next years Six Nations championship. Time has caught up on him as it does all sportsmen and women.
Nonetheless, there is a tremendous depth to him. His respect for Buddhist teachings shines through. Not for him the fleshpots and the cocktail bars. My how this years Rugby World Cup results on and off the pitch must have cut him to the quick. He will play out his career at Toulon hoping to take them to a Heineken Cup final. No doubt a family life beckons there.
I was in the stadium in 2003 when Jonny exited the stage on a filthy rainy night in Sydney with a world cup medal and that winning drop goal from his right foot and I was there at Twickenham when he returned to the England team in 2007. The crowd gave him a tumultuous reception the likes of which I could not recall. England had had such a disappointing set of results losing two coaches .