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Tuesday, 12 November, 2002, 11:58 GMT
Wilkinson revels in good fortune
Wilkinson goes over for England's second try
England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson has admitted that his brilliant solo try against New Zealand owed more to good fortune than to good planning.
England's man-of-the-match inspired his team to a 31-28 victory on Saturday with 21 points and a magnificent try at the start of the second-half. Shaping to drop for goal, Wilkinson chipped over the defence and collected the bouncing ball to dive over and put England in control of the match.
But writing in his exclusive BBC Sport Online column, Wilkinson confessed that his chip was actually intended for team-mate Jason Robinson. He said: "Here's an admission for you - my chip ahead was meant for Jason Robinson not me. "When the referee put up his arm to signal an advantage, I realised there was nothing to lose by putting boot to ball. "The New Zealand defence was up quickly and no-one was covering behind. "So I gave it a go, hoping that Jason would scamper in and beat the retreating defence. "It was only after I had started my run that I realised I was in the best position to go for it. "It was a great personal moment, made all the more special by the result. " Wilkinson also backed Jonah Lomu to light up next year's Rugby World Cup, despite the All Blacks' defeat.
Lomu grabbed a brace of tries on Saturday, but was unable to prevent the Kiwis from falling to a 31-28 defeat. The winger is under pressure to perform after a dismal domestic season, but Wilkinson says he has already answered his critics. He said: "Any country who can seriously consider dropping Jonah Lomu is clearly a little bit special. "Having seen him first hand on a rugby pitch, I can tell his doubters this: 'You're wrong - very wrong'. "Jonah remains a rugby institution and, though not completely fit by his own admission, he has the ability to light up a match. "All New Zealanders should remember that, and I see no reason why he should not play a huge part for his country in Australia next year."
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10 Nov 02 | International
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