Bennett praise for Wilkinson

New England captain Jonny Wilkinson is “by far the outstanding fly-half in the world today” according to former Wales great Phil Bennett.

Wilkinson has been named by coach Clive Woodward to lead England for the first time in Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations match against Italy at Twickenham.

“Wilkinson is easily the number one,” said Bennett, who had his own strong claims to that title as he led the great Welsh team of the 1970s.

“He has improved immensely. We all know about his defensive ability and his tackling has been brilliant but he has added quickness off the mark and good attacking skills to his game as well.

“And he has the added bonus that he virtually never misses a kick. Clive Woodward is very lucky that he has a top player playing in his team who is still only 23,” Bennett told the Press Association.

The Llanelli legend is reluctant to compare players from different eras but reckons Wilkinson is among the best he has seen.

He said: “I would put him in the top 10 I’ve come across but the game has changed so dramatically.

“You didn’t have to be as strong because you did not have to do so much tackling in our day. Professionalism has changed the game but the great players would have shone in any age.”

Bennett ranks his former Wales half-back partner Gareth Edwards among the greatest and he is happy to talk about Wilkinson with the same breath.

“I think Gareth could have played in any era and Jonny Wilkinson could as well. He’s a top, top talent,” said Bennett at the London launch of his autobiography.

In the book, Bennett includes Wilkinson in the list of his top 10 fly-halves but, without putting them in any order, clearly believes he still has some way to go to emulate “the king”, Barry John, his own predecessor in the Welsh team.

“I had never seen an outside-half like him and there hasn’t been one since,” states Bennett.

But he acknowledges Wilkinson, who passed the 600-point mark in internationals in England’s recent 6 Nations Twickenham victory over Wales, still has plenty of time on his side.

Bennett would not have included Wilkinson in his personal top 10 a year or so ago, claiming he was “more functional than inspirational”.

But he now says: “Jonny’s all-round game has come on in leaps and bounds and he deserves to be seen as one of the greats which is extraordinary for a young man who is still only 23.

“Jonny is already tearing up the record books as a goalkicker and if he stays fit I am sure he will go on to score more points in Test rugby than anyone else in history. He could set a new landmark that will stand for years after he has retired.

“There is now much more to his game. The defining characteristic is his pure guts. He is the bravest outside-half I have ever seen.”

“By rights he should not really be allowed into the fly-halves union because he tackles too hard.

Over the years most fly-halves have tackled because they had to. Jonny does it because he loves it.

“The thing that has really impressed me about Wilkinson, though, has been his attitude towards improving his own game. When he first came on to the scene he did not seem to have a great deal of pace.

“But I know that training alongside the likes of Jason Robinson opened Jonny’s eyes to what can be achieved.

“He has worked on his speed and added an explosive edge to his running game that wasn’t there before.”

Bennett’s only fear is that Wilkinson might be too brave for his own good and is risking injury by “putting his body on the line too often”.

But he added: “He is on his way to becoming the complete, modern-day outside half. There are no limits to what this young guy can achieve.”