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Wilkinson looks to rediscover instinct
21:45, Mar 19 2010
Jonny Wilkinson on Friday night admitted his rugby instincts have been blunted by years on the treatment table and England manager Martin Johnson was right to drop him.
Toby Flood will start at fly-half against Grand Slam-chasing France on Saturday night after Wilkinson was axed for only the third time in his international career. The 30-year-old admitted he has been off the pace since returning to the England team last November after a year on the sidelines recovering from a serious knee injury.
He said: "I feel I am short in terms finding the instinct again. I have to try to get those habits back. At the moment it is a real challenge to go out there and consider more things than I used to."
Wilkinson added: "I'm giving everything I can. I know I am trying the right things but I have to refine and reassess.
"I know I'm not playing the way I want to, but I know I can get there and I desire nothing more than to get there."
Wilkinson said there was "no worse feeling" than to be dropped by England but he knows Johnson was right not to pick him.
Johnson has been guilty of ignoring Flood's impressive club form in recent weeks and the last thing Wilkinson wants is to be picked on reputation alone.
"I'm desperate to play as many times as I can for England but as long as it's right," said Wilkinson.
"I don't want to be playing for England if I'm not doing as good a job as someone else - if I'm not right to be there.
"What I don't want to be doing is not finding my best but just ticking boxes and saying, 'Yeah, that's great, I've got this many caps and this many points'. That won't help the team. You have to earn that right and I am in the process of doing that."
Charnley inspires Wigan triumph 20:45, Feb 11 2012
Winger Josh Charnley scored a hat-trick of tries as Wigan bounced back from their shock opening home defeat by Huddersfield with a clinical 20-6 destruction of Stobart Super League champions Leeds. more
Spurs fans show Redknapp the love 20:45, Feb 11 2012
Tottenham's fans pleaded with Harry Redknapp to snub England and stay at White Hart Lane as the Spurs boss masterminded a brutal 5-0 hammering of Newcastle. more
France/Ireland clash called off 20:45, Feb 11 2012
Ireland's RBS 6 Nations clash with France has been postponed due to the weather conditions in Paris. more
Adebayor inspires Spurs romp 19:45, Feb 11 2012
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp ended an emotional week on a huge high as his team ruthlessly hammered Newcastle 5-0 at White Hart Lane. more
England claim narrow Italy victory 18:45, Feb 11 2012
England dug themselves out of a snow-hole in freezing Rome to beat Italy 19-15 with another charge-down try from Charlie Hodgson and Owen Farrell's perfect kicking display. more
Chelsea suffer defeat at Everton 17:45, Feb 11 2012
Steven Pienaar and Denis Stracqualursi struck as Everton piled on the pressure for Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas with a 2-0 victory. more
Late Henry winner rescues Arsenal 17:45, Feb 11 2012
Substitute Thierry Henry marked the final league game of his loan spell at Arsenal with a last-gasp winner to see off Sunderland 2-1. more
McArthur clinches Wigan victory 17:45, Feb 11 2012
James McArthur boosted Wigan's survival hopes with a dramatic goal which handed the Latics a 2-1 win over fellow Barclays Premier League strugglers Bolton at the Reebok Stadium. more
Williams inspires Quins win 17:45, Feb 11 2012
Harlequins returned to winning ways as winger Tom Williams helped orchestrate a 30-23 victory over London Irish which extended their lead at the top of the Aviva Premiership. more
Fleming and Hutchins put GB ahead 16:45, Feb 11 2012
Great Britain moved to within one rubber of a fifth consecutive Davis Cup win under captain Leon Smith after Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins beat Michal Mertinak and Filip Polasek of Slovakia at Glasgow's Braehead Arena. more
Cold snap affects sporting weekend 15:45, Feb 11 2012
The cold snap continued to wreak further havoc with the sporting calendar on Saturday after the npower Championship clash between Peterborough and West Ham was postponed due to a frozen pitch along with a number of League One and League Two matches. more
Rangers ease to win at Dunfermline 15:45, Feb 11 2012
Lee McCulloch grabbed his first goal of the season as Rangers fought back from behind to claim a 4-1 win and deny Dunfermline their first home victory of the season in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. more
