Jonny Wilkinson is well backed for this weekend’s game against Australia.
5th November, 2009
Jonny Wilkinson, aged 30, will be reunited with the England rugby squad for his first appearance in 18 months and will be up against Australia at Twickenham on Saturday. Wilkinson is set to bring excitement and a high score for England with Coach Brian Smith explaining, “Jonny’s skills are outstanding. He is a great distributor and if the opportunity presents to put width on the ball there are very few guys with his skills in that area. Wilko is lethal as a point-scorer and is a real factor to the squad.”
Jonny Wilkinson and Steve Thompson, who is making his first appearance since 2006, will play together again in the same squad since back in 2003 World Cup final against the Wallabies.
Wilkinson’s career has been filled with injuries and has meant that he has spent a lot of time trying to overcome them and regain fitness to allow him to play for his country once again. The England boss said, “His leadership of the group has been fantastic, particularly his communication with young players. These guys have seen what he has done for England over the last 10 years and it is a tremendous amount.”
A spokesman from Sky Bet also highlighted Wilkinson’s talent by saying, “Wilkinson is playing some of the best rugby of his career in the French league with Toulon. He is probably England’s best chance of victory and they need him to have his kicking boots on as Martin Johnson has named a fairly experimental and inexperienced team.”
Sky Bet are offering 13/8 that Wilkinson will score 17 points or more in his first game back with England on Saturday. Other odds include the five France based players for the squad, Wilkinson, Thompson, Stade Francais, James Haskell and Andy Goode, priced at 5/1 that one of these players will start the try scoring.
For more odds on the game such as England backed at 9/1 to win all three of their autumn internationals, then visit Sky Bet today!
By Carol
