‘He is Jonny of Toulon, he is the King of Toulon’

Just as Brian O’Driscoll wanted to leave the international stage with a Six Nations medal around his neck, so Jonny Wilkinson has his eyes firmly focussed on a gilt-edged finale to a glittering rugby career.

The Toulon talisman has not yet officially announced his retirement at the end of the season, and those around him are keeping their lips firmly sealed, but there seems little doubt the 34-year-old former England and Lions fly-half is playing his final games in the weeks ahead. He has as many as six left in him – if Toulon take the long route to the Top 14 final as well as the European final – or perhaps as few as three if things don’t go according to plan. What is not in doubt is that, in spite of limping out of the quarter-final win against Leinster with a hamstring injury, the first of those will be against Munster in Marseille tomorrow.

Even though Wilkinson has slowed over the years and has less of an immediate impact on games than in previous years, he remains the brains and the engine of Toulon. His influence brings a tranquillity to their play – which releases the attacking potential outside him — and a unity of purpose that might otherwise be lacking from a side with more foreign personnel that a UN delegations. Perhaps this is why Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal went to such lengths to bring Wilkinson from Newcastle to France in 2009 and why he is not pressuring him into announcing his decision on whether to stay or step down.