Wilkinson unfazed by fans’ high rate of expectancy

Jonny Wilkinson will spearhead England’s bid to regain the Calcutta Cup today, and admits: ‘‘I know people expect me to play well.’’

Wilkinson was just three-years-old when Scotland last won at Twickenham, a 22-12 triumph in 1983 orchestrated by their renowned half-back pairing of John Rutherford and Roy Laidlaw.

But since making his international debut as a second-half substitute against Ireland in 1998, Wilkinson has developed into a peerless world-class matchwinner.

He needs 21 points today, just six more than his current Test match average, to remove Rob Andrew from the England record books.

While Andrew amassed that 396 total over 71 games he was not always first-choice England goalkicker Wilkinson could get there from just 26 appearances, and still almost three months short of his 22nd birthday.

It would represent a remarkable achievement, but is nothing more than English fans have become accustomed to from a player who breaks records for fun.

More importantly perhaps, Wilkinson is comfortable with that shoulder-pressing weight of expectancy every time he takes the field in a white jersey.

‘‘I know that people expect me to play well and kick the goals,’’ he said.

‘‘But they also expect Lawrence Dallaglio to keep running with the ball and knocking people over, and Martin Johnson to take every lineout ball.

‘‘It is all a reflection of the fact that the team is performing consistently, and that breeds expectation.”

Former Scotland skipper Gary Armstrong, Wilkinson’s Newcastle half-back partner, rates him the best fly-half he has ever played alongside.

Praise indeed, but plaudits are something the modest and softly-spoken Wilkinson has had to take in his stride.

Typically, the perfectionist streak that runs right through him, guaranteed an inevitable response when quizzed about those uncharacteristic lapses.

‘‘It was irritating and frustrating. When you train hard to kick those sort of kicks in pressure situations, it is disappointing when things don’t go right.

‘‘Each kick is a separate event, and if it doesn’t go quite right then you get instant mental feedback. I could have gone on for an hour after the match about why I missed those kicks.

‘‘I didn’t even need to lift my head on the ones I missed. I knew I had missed, the feedback was there immediately.

‘‘I missed them all for different reasons, and it’s extremely irritating when you know exactly what you have done wrong, but there is no reason why you should have done it.”

Scotland need not raise their hopes though Wilkinson’s rare off-day was quickly forgotten about.

‘‘It bothered me over the weekend, although I was far more interested in the result of the game,’’ he conceded.

‘‘But I could not afford to bring it with me when I reported for England duty. A week like this one is far too important for any distractions.’’

It is that ruthless professionalism and quest for perfection epitomised by Wilkinson which manifests itself throughout an England side unbeaten in six Tests since South Africa’s controversial Pretoria victory last summer.

While Scotland, whose solitary Six Nations win from seven starts was against England 11 months ago, possess sufficient individual talent to make life difficult, that will not be enough.

Lineout ace Scott Murray, prop Tom Smith, scrum-half Andy Nicol, stung by his surprise omission from the 67-man provisional Lions list, centre John Leslie and full-back Chris Paterson could pose their share of problems.

But collectively, Scotland fall short of being able to threaten an England side whose physical presence up-front might prove overpowering.

The Scots’ famous Grand Slam-wrecking success last April was based on hard graft, Duncan Hodge’s goalkicking and a tactical appreciation of how to play in those monsoon Murrayfield conditions that sunk England without trace.

Four of the current England team who were not involved in the starting line-up that day skipper Martin Johnson, his magnificent second-row partner Danny Grewcock, centre Will Greenwood and full-back Iain Balshaw will be key men today.

England’s forwards look too strong, and with both Greenwood and Balshaw in the form of their lives, an emphatic home win by 20 points or more looks likely.

And if Wilkinson finds his range, it could be even worse.

ENGLAND: I Balshaw (Bath); A Healey (Leicester), W Greenwood (Harlequins), M Catt (Bath), B Cohen (Northampton); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), M Dawson (Northampton); J Leonard (Harlequins), D West (Leicester), P Vickery (Gloucester), M Johnson (Leicester, capt), D Grewcock (Saracens), R Hill (Saracens), N Back (Leicester), L Dallaglio (Wasps).

SCOTLAND: C Paterson (Edinburgh); C Murray (Edinburgh), A Bulloch (Glasgow), J Leslie (Northampton), K Logan (Wasps); D Hodge (Edinburgh), A Nicol (Glasgow, capt); T Smith (Brive), G Bulloch (Glasgow), M Stewart (Northampton), S Murray (Saracens), R Metcalfe (Edinburgh), M Leslie (Edinburgh), B Pountney (Northampton), S Taylor (Edinburgh).

Replacements: S Scott (Edinburgh), G McIlwham (Glasgow), S Grimes (Newcastle), J Petrie (Glasgow), B Redpath (Sale), J McLaren (Glasgow), J Craig (Glasgow).