Fire still burns for axed Wilkinson

ENGLAND superstar Jonny Wilkinson has insisted “the fire is still there” despite being dropped for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Ireland at Twickenham.

Wilkinson will make way for 20-year-old Wasps prospect Danny Cipriani when England wind up another Six Nations campaign of crushing under-achievement.

It is the first time in fly-half Wilkinson’s 69-cap England career that he has effectively been axed following a loss of form.

When he was replaced by Paul Grayson in England’s 1999 World Cup quarter-final against South Africa, it was very much down to a horses-for-courses selection policy.

But Wilkinson has typically put a positive slant on his omission this time around, even though he appears to have been made a scapegoat after England suffered a Calcutta Cup calamity at Murrayfield last weekend.

England crashed 15-9 to end their title hopes a week early, yet only Wilkinson has paid the price.

Head coach Brian Ashton has delivered a remarkable vote of confidence by retaining all 14 other players from the Edinburgh starting line-up.

It can scarcely be deserved after such an abject display, while there are only two changes on the bench, with Wilkinson replacing Charlie Hodgson and Wasps flanker James Haskell taking over from Luke Narraway.

Haskell though, who is recovering from an ankle injury, will not train until Friday, while centre Toby Flood and number eight Nick Easter also missed training in Bath yesterday.

If Flood fails to recover from a kick to the shin sustained against Scotland, then Wilkinson could conceivably find himself back on duty for a 70th cap.

But just three days after breaking the world Test points record, 28-year-old Wilkinson is currently surplus to requirements.