Flawless Wilkinson has the final say as he puts the boot into Saracens
IT HAD to be perfect. Jonny Wilkinson played his last game of professional rugby on UK soil by producing a masterclass of goalkicking that rolled back the years and crushed Saracens’ dreams.
Wilkinson, the greatest points machine in English rugby history, ensured the money-men from the Cote d’Azur defended the Heineken Cup with crushing efficiency that will hurt the London club every bit as much as their semi-final defeat last year by the same side.
In truth, they were never really at the races as Toulon’s galacticos showed they are more than just a collection of big names by squeezing and then stabbing Saracens with two rapier thrusts either side of half-time at the Millennium Stadium.
In the end, they simply had too much class for a Saracens team who obliterated Clermont in the semi-final a fortnight ago.
Every time they attempted to attack they were smothered and thumped to the floor, while every time they made an error, Wilkinson was there to punish them with a flawless goal-kicking display.
The iconic World Cup winner will play his final game of professional rugby next Saturday when Toulon take on Castres in the Top 14 final and it would be a fool who bet against him ending his career with yet another piece of silverware.
His fast-twitch fibres may not be quite as sharp as they once were but his goal-kicking is as deadly as ever. Saracens knew it, but could do nothing about it.
‘There’s a lot of relief and excitement at the moment,’ Wilkinson said. ‘I’m just trying to take it all in. Everything comes from all the hard work of the team. I couldn’t have asked for more.’
The north London club must now pick themselves up and muster the emotional energy to beat Northampton in next Saturday’s Aviva Premiership Final.
But it will be a huge ask to regroup in time to beat a side buoyed by their Amlin Challenge Cup win over Bath on Friday night.
Yesterday, they simply could not find a way through Toulon’s brick wall rush defence.
They will perhaps feel aggrieved that Toulon flanker Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe escaped with only a yellow card when he collared Saracens lock Alistair Hargreaves while he was jumping for the ball, causing him to land heavily on his neck and requiring extensive treatment on the floor.
But the totality of Toulon’s domination could not be argued with. Matt Giteau scored a superbly taken 31st-minute try, converted by Wilkinson and followed by a trademark drop goal, as Toulon went in at half-time 10-6 in front after Owen Farrell — struggling with a foot injury — kicked two penalties.
Springbok flanker Juan Smith combined brilliantly with Mathieu Bastareaud and Lobbe down the right to effectively close the game out after 59 minutes.
Toulon No 8 Steffon Armitage deservedly won the man-of-thematch award with four turnovers. ‘The boys today were superb,’ Armitage said. ‘We never gave up. The boys around me did all the work for me.’
Wilkinson left on 78 minutes to a hero’s reception. Don’t bet against him getting one last one next week. SARACENS: Pens: Farrell 2. TOULON: Tries: Giteau, Smith. Cons: Wilkinson 2. Pens:
Wilkinson 2. Drop-goal: Wilkinson.