London: Jonny Wilkinson has taken all manner of blows for the English cause down the years, but few will have had as painful an impact as the decision by Martin Johnson to drop him in favour of Toby Flood for the match against France in Paris tomorrow, one of six changes made by the England manager.
Even though the starting debuts of Northampton duo Ben Foden and uncapped Chris Ashton create their own buzz, as does the recall of Mike Tindall, it is the slipping of the halo on one of England's favoured sons that draws the headlines, if for no other reason that it is only the third time it has happened in a 12-year international career. His reputation has outlasted his form.
The mythology now needs reshaping. Wilkinson's career is far from over but the nights are certainly beginning to draw in, a scenario emphatically rejected by Johnson himself.
"If I thought Jonny was in decline, then I wouldn't have picked him for the last seven internationals," Johnson said. "He's certainly not anywhere near a decline." The evidence of his recent play suggests otherwise. It's not Wilkinson's ego that will have taken a battering by the news, it will be his self-esteem as well as sense of obligation to the team.
Lacking confidence
He has not played desperately poorly for England, but he has also not played well. His confidence is not what it was, nor his composure, as shown by two instances of wild, panic-induced attempted wide passes in the last two internationals, against Ireland and Scotland.
His kicking from hand has also been inaccurate, two attempted kicks towards wing Mark Cueto in those same tests landing squarely in the grateful hands of opponents.
Johnson made great play on Wednesday of simply wanting to nurture two world-class fly-halves and that Flood deserved his moment in the front-line. And so he does, all the more so when his presence along with that of Tindall and Riki Flutey reunites the midfield that shredded France last year at Twickenham 34-10, a result that has left notable scars on the French psyche — "our little crisis", as France attack coach Emile Ntamack puts it.
