Whole new ball game for kickers
New Zealand fly-half and goal-kicker Dan Carter raised concerns that the balls players have been given in practice are different from those used in matches.
World Cup organisers have asked ball manufacturers Gilbert to examine Carter’s comments, which came after he missed five out of nine kicks during the All Blacks’ victory over Scotland at Murrayfield last Sunday.
No official complaints have been made by the New Zealand camp, but Gilbert are conducting their own inquiry.
Wilkinson, despite booting 24 points in England’s win against Samoa a day earlier, also experienced a couple of uncharacteristic misses.
Wilkinson, England’s record points scorer, said: “I know there have been some guidelines put in place in terms of the development of the balls. People are trying to create balls that are perhaps easier for handling in the wet, or when you play night-time rugby and there is dew on the ball, but also on very dry days when your hands are very sweaty, which can be a lot worse.
“It has brought up issues with kicking the ball since the World Cup warm-up games (in August) and it has given us a new challenge, certainly. The difficulty can be finding the accountability. I don’t care if I am kicking badly, as long as I know it is me and I can work on it.
“The difficult thing is if you are kicking well, and you ask yourself, ‘Is it me or not?’ That is what affects my concentration. I missed a couple of kicks against Samoa which were very heavy.
“The next kick, you are then asking, ‘Do I allow for that, treat it as a one-off or do I ignore it?’ That is the tough part, you end up playing mental games outside a game, which you don’t really want to be doing.”
Wilkinson will again have a key role to play with the boot when England target a World Cup quarter-final place in Friday night’s tournament eliminator against Tonga at Parc des Princes.
He is closing in on 950 international points, and as ever his preparation will be meticulous.
Wilkinson added: “I try to select the balls I practise with very carefully and stick to the same ones, and I have been kicking better in practice than I did against Samoa. After the game, I just wanted to get straight back out there and thought, ‘Let’s work on it again and find a way to beat it.’ It is maybe just a time issue, maybe just a case of getting used to them.”
Wales kicking coach Neil Jenkins was also unhappy at the lack of practice time Stephen Jones and James Hook, his country’s goalkickers, had had during the World Cup so far.
“I had concerns before the World Cup when we were told that we wouldn’t be able to practise with the match balls until the day of the game,” said Jenkins. “It is always a concern for a kicker to only get a feel for a ball at such a late stage.”
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