Bigger than Beckham - for now

He may not like it, but Jonny Wilkinson has catapulted himself into the sort of superstar category enjoyed by his new friend and advertising colleague David Beckham.

Always one to shun the limelight if he can, his performance in the World Cup final – including that last-gasp drop goal – has suddenly made him England’s most famous sportsman for the time being.

Shy, self-conscious, self-effacing. A touch insecure perhaps when caught in the glare of publicity, Wilkinson is not into celebrity.

However, his walkover triumph in being crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year – coupled with the hysterical front page headlines which followed the news he had fractured a minor bone in his shoulder this week – have underlined he is now public property whether he likes it or not.

But what Wilkinson really craves above all else is success in his chosen field and there was no-one more desperate to hold the World Cup aloft in Sydney and share the glory with a global audience of some 500 million.

For Wilkinson it was another step on the way to his ultimate goal – proving that he is the greatest fly-half the rugby world has ever seen.

He is well aware of the competition – the wonderful composure and goal-kicking prowess of Michael Lynagh and Grant Fox, the play-making orchestration of New Zealander Andrew Mehrtens, the phenomenal points-machine which was Neil Jenkins, the sheer Welsh wizardry of Barry John and the pervading influence of his Newcastle coach and mentor Rob Andrew.

But at 24 Wilkinson is already a contender for the fly-half hall of fame, even if his trademark modesty means his ambitions have to be dragged kicking and screaming from his lips.

“I can’t tackle as hard as Lawrence Dallaglio,” admitted Wilkinson. “I can’t hold my own physically like Danny Grewcock, I don’t have the sheer natural pace of Dan Luger and I know I will never be as good at eluding people as Jason Robinson.

“But I can tackle, kick and pass and I can work hard on all the other things and that way I can measure the improvement.

“I want people to put me up there with the best that there has been. It would be a waste if when you hung up your boots it was finished, that was it, nobody ever mentioned you again.

“With England I want to win every game, kick all my goals, direct the team and overall be seen as the best I could possibly be and hopefully be the best at what I do.

“What I can’t deal with is people doing something unbelievable and then not being noticed for the rest of the game and the next game not really doing anything.”

Since the age of four Wilkinson has been preparing for his role as England’s supreme finisher at this World Cup.

Back then he used to line up toilet rolls in the lounge of the family home and kick them over imaginary posts to emulate the star kickers of the day.

He progressed to being the playmaker in teams way beyond his age-group and still lists his most embarrassing moment as the time he fell flat on his face after stubbing his foot in the ground while taking a kick at goal as a 10-year-old for the under-12s.

Even Christmas Day is never complete until Wilkinson has fulfilled his obligatory two hours training.

The obsession grew to the point where he admits himself to almost having a nervous breakdown while growing more and more angry when practising goal-kicks for hours on end at Newcastle.

It is against that backdrop that we should judge Wilkinson’s apparent obsessive behaviour on this World Cup trip.

Yes, by his own admission he has spent too much time on his own in his bedroom while team-mates have relaxed by the pool or down on the beach.

He has immersed himself in watching videos of past performances and has re-read coaching manuals with kicking coach Dave Alred in an attempt to be at the perfect pitch for the biggest challenge of his career.

He has looked anxious at times, as if the weight of expectation which comes with being England’s most lethal weapon is weighing ever heavier on his shoulders.

England’s domination of the northern hemisphere was complete with their Six Nations Grand Slam last April.

Wilkinson is now odds-on favourite to land the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award in December, for which he was nominated last year.

And now England are kings of the world, however, Wilkinson is prepared to brave the limelight.

“If I’m honest I have always had an eye on the World Cup,” he says. “It is the pinnacle of rugby and desperately important. Since I was a boy I have dreamed of lifting that trophy.”