WHEN Jonny Wilkinson scores his first points against Scotland at Murrayfield today, as surely he must, he will set a world record and complete an historic circle. And you will not even see him smile.
Wilkinson equalled the 1,090 rugby points scor
ing mark of Welshman Neil Jenkins against France two weeks ago. If the record falls to him alone today then Scotland could not be more appropriate opponents, considering it was against the Scots at Twickenham back in 1999 that Wilkinson, alongside Jeremy Guscott in the centre, first cranked up the scoring machine which has battered the world's best rugby defences.
Not one other player from the 44 on duty in that 24-21 win for England, in which Wilkinson scored three conversions and a penalty, survives to run out at Murrayfield today. But lighting Wilkinson's fire when it comes to setting a record himself is a bit like getting Danny Cipriani to stay in at nights.
Wilkinson says: "When I see records of any kind by someone else I find it mesmerising. It grabs my attention whether it be Michael Jordan in basketball or Neil Jenkins in kicking and so-and-so in golf. It is very interesting.
"When I find myself attached to it I find it a bit dull because I'm just not the person to carry it. I love records for what they do for people's aspirations and how it brings an excitement to everything, but in terms of being part of it myself it really does nothing for me.
"Somebody told me after the French game that I had a certain number of points and I haven't thought about it once since. Whatever happens in this game I won't think about it again and that is truly honest."
Not even a satisfied grin then. Yet, this is not the old obsessive Wilkinson, the one who could not open his presents on Christmas Day before he had completed a rigorous practice session. This is the new Wilkinson, unshackled by obsession, inspired by a more considered philosophy much of which he has taken from the study of Buddhism.
He admits: "I used to be asked all the time 'Would you like to be captain' and I thought 'Yeah, that would be great' because it is the place where I can have the most influence. But I have turned completely. I just don't see it any more. Captain or not captain, it doesn't matter. Goalkicking or not, it doesn't matter."
Not that Wilkinson no longer cares. He does. Desperately. It is just part of the transformation that has seen him shrug off the paranoias of the past which during the 2003 World Cup campaign saw him don an array of disguises.
The intensity is still there, however, especially when he weighs up the strength of opposition who have lost their first three RBS 6 Nations matches this season but who always roll out the pipers and the 'Braveheart' atmosphere at Murrayfield when England are in town.
Wilkinson says: "At Murrayfield Scotland seem to find another level that is unique. They are big and powerful.
"Their record this season is desperately misleading. You have to work like mad to get anything out of them. It is going to be very tough. It's a real hotbed for rugby and with Scotland you know you are going to get hit from all sides."
It would have been interesting to have seen how Cipriani coped in such an atmosphere if he had not been disciplined for his late-night antics.
Wilkinson, however, is sure the Wasps player will be a superstar of the future, just as he is convinced that England's new-look youngsters can emulate the feats of the World Cup-winning old gang of 2003. He says: "Danny Cipriani will take the sport to the next level. He's moving the game forward.
"We used to go out for a meal and we'd have Jason Leonard, Lawrence (Dallaglio), Richard Hill, Johnno (Martin Johnson) and you'd be sat there at the end chatting.
"This time there was Toby Flood and Crofty (Tom Croft) and Richard Wigglesworth. It does turn over quickly but what remains is the identity and the privilege which goes with playing.
"These guys will be the next Martin Johnsons and Jason Leonards, undoubtedly. They will do what those guys did for the sport but in their own way."
Could they win the World Cup?
"Definitely," says Wilkinson.
The full article contains 757 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
