Australia v England, Sydney, June 19
Wilkinson looking to the future
Scrum.com
June 17, 2010

Jonny Wilkinson will not stop to reminisce this weekend as he returns to the site of his finest hour when England face Australia.

In 2003 his drop-goal in the dying embers of the Rugby World Cup final defeated the Wallabies at ANZ Stadium, where Martin Johnson's side will look to halve the series after defeat in Perth last weekend. Wilkinson has been named on the bench for the game, with Toby Flood wearing No.10, and is firmly looking to the future, not the past.

"I am not sure I will reminisce. I can't actually remember which end it was. It is lost in a bit of a blur," Wilkinson said. "It's not that I don't feel the pride and privilege of being there, the honour of the occasion and being able to play such a good team in such a great situation.

"All that stuff means an enormous amount but it just doesn't mean anything to what we are doing now. In rugby the past counts for nothing. If you get stuck looking back you end up getting left behind.

"I was 24 and for me the choice was obvious. You realise you have got to move on. It was a great time for England rugby and a great achievement. [Remembering] is not going to help anyone. This is a different era of rugby for England."

Wilkinson will be doing all he can to help Flood steer England home. The Australian media has been disbelieving at Wilkinson's lack of game-time on tour, he played only a few minutes in last weekend's Test, but the pivot insists that there is more to being a team player than what is seen on the field.

"Whether you are in the team or the 22 your contribution needs to be the best it can be. It all matters. I am trying to make whatever I do matter," he said. "It was a great effort from Toby last week and you can never question that or the desire and ambition to get stuck in.

"I could see from the touchline that the first half was tough for him. I tried to give him a couple of pointers at half-time. I know what Toby is capable of because we played together for a lot of years at Newcastle and I want the best of him to come out.

"There is no point him being in the England team if the best of him doesn't come out. My sole aim when I am working with him is to make sure he is 100% happy and capable of playing and getting out there."

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