Jonny Wilkinson on Boots & All
Jonny Wilkinson believes that both South Africa and England will make it to the semifinals of next year’s Rugby World Cup.
World Cup legend Wilkinson was at SuperSport on Thursday and Xola Ntshinga was able to sit him down for an interview.
Wilkinson has great respect for what has been achieved by the England team under coach Stuart Lancaster.
“The England team has done a great thing in going back to the foundation of the game. They’ve looked at the values; they looked at the core principles of what makes a good team. They’ve solidified it at the base and now they’re building on it. They’re adding detail on top of detail on top of detail and the players are ready to accept it,” he said.
SuperSport
“The players are really understanding the structure of what they’re trying to do. It looks like they’re very professional. The defence is solid and they never looked stressed and when they are they come straight back. In attack they’ve got great shape and great options every time they have the ball.”
“I’d really like to think they will be in a semifinal, with every chance of going all the way,” the former flyhalf added.
The Springboks will feature prominently too, according to Wilkinson.
“South Africa has a great foundation for what they are trying to do. They also have a great identity of who they are. That identity precedes them wherever they go. Their physicality, their desire, their pride and integrity puts teams on the back-foot before the whistle even goes.”
“They pace at which they are now playing too is starting to drive opposition out of their comfort zones, forcing them to make mistakes under pressure. It allows them to get ahead in games and allows them to push forward and win comfortably.”
“When they do find themselves in difficulty, which they did against Wales recently, they then find a way of coming back. It’s ultimately the sign of a great team.“
“I’d like to think again that South Africa will be one of those teams in the semifinals.”
What we really wanted to know was did he think SA would make the final, it’s a near certainty they’ll make the last 4.
I suppose it’s expected that NZ, Oz, SA and Eng will be the semi finalists, with France the outsider who can surprise any of those 4 in a one off game.
But if a SA rugby show interviews Wilko, he will obviously only have praise for the Boks, the same as he would have only said good things about the Wallabies should Fox have interviewed him.
@ nortierd:
lol anything for a dollar Johnny?
those semi finalists arent certain either, Oz and Eng still have to qualify from the pool of death, so neither is a certainty. and the ABs, as Im sure you are aware, have been known not to turn up for the tourny away from home.. so they stand no chance of even making it that far… our only two wins have been at home, as RWC history shows, a rare feat indeed. we cant count on referees and, like in 87, the invitation being declined again…. so we will always carry two asterisks on our titles., unlike 2007 champions the bokkes because there was no untoward reffing or the like in that tournament, apparently 😯
anyways, ABs to be the first to defend the title (and looking back over the last 3 years or so, the only team to live up to that title)
though I would be happy if they beat the Wobs first up and set that consecutive victory bar ever higher.
moer hulle ABs, moer them stukkend!
forgot to add, well done to the Blitz boppers at the Commonwealth “games”, congrats on a fine victory.. amazing what some of the majority Saffas can do when given license to run huh.
as an aside, the CGs are like the Six nations championship, a much inferior tournament without the best players imho
😀
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