Some may claim that the abovementioned statement is true, if however, you asked the man himself he would probably be likely to say: that he has still much more to work and improve upon!

In fact, having watched Jonny Wilkinson play many times both at club and International level, I would say he is just like any other player and can have his off days too! Even in the Rugby World Cup tournament he had some ‘off’ moments and he was the first one to remind us all of the kicks he missed during the final when he was interviewed afterwards.

I have watched him kick penalty after penalty, conversion after conversion for England and then come back to Newcastle Falcons either injured or to have a very quiet game. Having said that, he has also been inspirational for the players at Falcons, as well as for the many youngsters up and down the country who have taken him as their role model and hero. And what better role model could they have?

Jonny Wilkinson has dedicated his life to the game of Rugby Football, his single mindedness for training, diet and kicking reminds me of other great sports super~stars like Bjorn Borg and Nick Faldo. The sheer driven focus of their goal leads them to great achievements and it is the same with Jonny Wilkinson.

Hours and hours he spends kicking and he will not leave the field until he is content. Lots of stories abound about Jonny and his kicking practise, the most famous, of course, is the one of him practising on Christmas Day - which is true. However, there are others: - Falcons went to Leeds one dark winter evening and for some reason the floodlights were not on, undeterred by this, Jonny kicked in the dark! Then there are the times, late in the evening, when the coaches have had to drag him from the field saying enough is enough!

So, what is driving Jonny to practise like this? It’s the sheer love of the game and the ambition for perfection, (or as near to it as possible) in the sport he has chosen. Jonny is an all round sports person, he could have been a footballer and he is also a very canny golfer. He could have picked any sport but he chose Rugby Football Union and I am sure we would all like to thank him for that. Unless perhaps you are a Wallaby fan!

But Jonny is not just a kicker, he tackles ferociously, scores tries and dictates the game. Many would prefer Jonny to step back a bit from tackles but he has stated, quite categorically, that he ‘will not change the way he plays' - that means the big tackles will go in regardless of any potential injury to himself.

Good for him, I say! He loves the game and he gives his all on the field of play - why should he not play the sport he loves the way he wants to? To start protecting Jonny, or asking him to do otherwise would be to stifle his God given talent and that would be wrong!

Jonny reminds me of a beautiful 'Diamond' having many facets, a hard core and when placed in the right setting twinkles, sparkles and has flashes of brilliance in particular on the highest stage.

Jonny is only 24 years of age, it seems like he has been around for centuries but he is not a perfect 10 yet!

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