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‘I had an opportunity’: Jonny Wilkinson reveals how close he was to code switch
Jonny Wilkinson’s name will forever be associated with rugby union, but the legendary England fly-half had a surprising opportunity to make the leap to rugby league during his career.
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The 2003 World Cup winner was a guest on the Seven: Rob Burrow podcast this week, hosted by the Leeds Rhinos legend and his wife Lindsey, where he was asked whether he contemplated a code switch during his trophy-laden career.
Wilkinson revealed that he received an offer from Super League powerhouse Wigan Warriors one summer during his injury ravaged four years between 2003 and 2007.
“I was injured for so long but I had a couple of opportunities,” the 44-year-old said.
“They were largely just there thrown out to help me out to say, ‘look, after your injuries, do you want to come and do a summer with us?’
“It was just a few months around the Wigan team at the time. And there was part of me that was like I’d love to go and find out.
“I always wondered: ‘Could I do it?’
“I always wondered if I could adapt, and I had an opportunity.”
While the majority of the rugby world would have been intrigued to see how the hard-tackling kicking machine fared in the other code, if only for a summer, he admitted that an injury during that time could have spelled the end of his career.
“The only issue was that had I reinjured, the rest of my career was gone. Clubs who employed me would never have let that go.”
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Though the move never came to fruition, Wilkinson described his love of rugby league on the podcast, and how he actually watches more league than union these days.
“It’s mad now,” the former World Rugby player of the year said.
“I probably watch more rugby league than I do rugby union, and it’s been like that for a long time.”
Wilkinson brushed shoulders with plenty of league greats during his England career, with Wigan legends Jason Robinson and Andy Farrell probably being the two biggest. He explained how he was “hugely inspired” by league and ex league players during his career, so much so that he persistently battled for the respect of his teammates.
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“I spent a lot of my time trying to impress those guys who came towards me,” he said.
“So like the Jasons [Robinson] and Andy Farrells, whenever I was next to them I was like I’ve got to do something so that they respect me.
“I love what the guys do. I love the fact that if you were to go take a ball it’s because you mean to score. And I do watch it now, constantly. I watch it all the time. If it’s on I find myself sat there going ‘oh, highlights of more Super League games or the NRL.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The game was already over leave the bloke alone ….from a Welsh fan 😀👍
2 Go to commentsShamefully the Toulouse players acted like footballers, falling down feigning injury at the slightest knock. About time refs penalised this play acting.
6 Go to commentsAnother non Scot for the anti Scot Townsend. Soon there will be no Scottish born and bred players in the National team.
1 Go to commentsGreat comeback to the playing field by Richie Mo’unga after the loss of his father. A great performance by Richie . I know him well and he is a great guy. On and off the field one of the greatest for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson would have loved him in his All Black’s side. A very missed player and person.
2 Go to commentsYeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
2 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
4 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
4 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
4 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
13 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
13 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
13 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
6 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
6 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
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