Photo: User:David Sedlecký / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Jonny Wilkinson is, for me, defined by a single perfect moment: that drop goal in the dying seconds of the 2003 World Cup final that won England the trophy. But fixating on it almost does him a disservice. What I respect is the obsessive craft behind it - the famously relentless practice, the perfectionism that made his kicking look inevitable rather than lucky. World Player of the Year, two Order of the British Empire honors, a Hall of Fame place; the resume is stacked. He reads to me as the rare athlete whose greatness came less from natural flair than from sheer, almost monastic dedication to getting it right.
Overview
Jonathan Peter Wilkinson (born 25 May 1979) is an English former rugby union player. A fly-half, he played for Newcastle Falcons and French side Toulon and represented England and the British & Irish Lions. He is particularly known for scoring the winning drop goal in the 2003 Rugby World Cup final and is widely acknowledged as one of the best rugby union players of all time.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Jonny Wilkinson
- Name (Japanese)
- ジョニー・ウィルキンソン
- Reading
- じょにー・うぃるきんそん
- Born
- May 25, 1979 (age 47)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Goat
- Origin
- Frimley, United Kingdom
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- 178 cm
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- rugby union player / entrepreneur / professional athlete
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Lord Wandsworth College
Awards & achievements
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire
- 2003 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award
- Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- World Rugby Hall of Fame
- 2003 World Rugby Men's Player of the Year
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Rugby union player — see all → · Entrepreneur — see all → · More people from United Kingdom →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.