English rugby star Jonny Wilkinson has picked his all-time rugby XV, except it’s not what you think. In fact, it’s made up exclusively of male movie stars.

The Toulon kicking machine can come across as a bit serious and overly dedicated at times, but anyone that follows his Twitter account will know that he can be a pretty entertaining chap at times, as was evident in his selection of his film star XV, which he has been poring over for the last few days.

Typically, given Wilkinson’s meticulous nature, he didn’t simply shoehorn some of his favourite actors into various positions just for the hell of it. He gives a player by player breakdown of why each player was selected in each position and selects a whole backroom staff as well.

It’s hardly surprising that Wilkinson selected the burly Liam Neeson as the only Irishman in the side, although we feel that Michael Fassbender might have made for a tricky outside centre and Brendan Gleeson could have made a nuisance of himself in the second row.

The team is quite heavy on brawny action stars whose acting skills are probably on a par with their rugby-playing abilities, but in terms of the physical requirements for each role, we feel Wilkinson did a pretty good job.

Check out his team for yourself below.

Jonny Wilkinson’s film star rugby XV:

15. Chuck Norris

14. Vin Diesel

13. Jean Claude van Damme

12. Russell Crowe (vice-captain)

11. Jason Statham

10. Matt Damon

9. Tom Cruise

1. John Candy

2. Sylvester Stallone

3. Michael Clarke Duncan

4. Dolph Lundgren

5. Will Smith

6. The Rock

7. Liam Neeson

8. Arnold Schwarzenegger (Captain)

Replacements: Steven Seagal (1), Snipes (2), Bob Hoskins (3), John Cena (4/5/6/8), Jackie Chan (9), Keanu Reeves (10/12), Daniel Craig (back 3)

Coaching and backroom staff: Manager: Al Pacino. Forwards coach: Samuel L Jackson. Backs coach: Michael Caine. Waterboy: Adam Sandler. Physio: Tom Hanks. Doctor: Robin Williams.

JOE.IE

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Rugby’s biggest tournament of the year is back this weekend as France take on Italy, Scotland face England and Ireland come head to head with Wales in the 2012 6 Nations Championship.

The Jaguar Academy of Sport speaks to rugby legends Jonny Wilkinson, Shane Williams, Gareth Edwards, Jonathan Davies and David Flatman to find out their views and predictions on the imminent Championship. And according to the experts, it looks like this year’s 6 Nations will be a hard one to call!

First up is Jaguar Academy of Sport Ambassador Jonny Wilkinson – the former England player who is sadly no longer apart of the England set-up following his retirement from International rugby last year, gives us his insight into the upcoming tournament…

SIX NATIONS

“It feels strange not to be available for selection for this years 6 Nations but nonetheless I’m looking forward to a great tournament. The World Cup showed just how competitive the tournament is likely to be with all England’s up coming opponents putting in strong performances at some stage or other during the tournament.”

FRANCE

“Beaten finalists France will be looking to build on their performance in the final against New Zealand under the leadership of my old coach at Toulon, Phillipe Saint Andre. A player to look out for is their winger Alexis Palisson who is a current team mate of mine at Toulon. He has fantastic pace and can cause even the best of defences real problems.”

WALES

“Another team who built up momentum in the Autumn is Wales. They have a really strong all-round squad, very young and energetic and I think another winger, George North of Llanelli Scarlets is going to make a real impact on the tournament. He has a great work ethic and has a very deceptive turn of pace for such a big man. Jamie Roberts is a real hard running centre and their inspirational captain Sam Warburton led them brilliantly during the World Cup.”

IRELAND

“Ireland had a great win against Australia in New Zealand and whilst they will be disappointed to have lost to Wales in the Quarter Final, their all-round experience and world class players such as Brian O Driscoll and Ronan O Gara means they can never be ruled out.”

SCOTLAND

“I can tell you from first hand experience that Scotland will be a handful whoever they play against. They were very unlucky to lose against Argentina in the pool games and we had a right old battle against them in the final group game in Auckland. Playing at Murrayfield is always tough and Andy Robinson will have them well prepared, that’s for sure. Rory Lawson at scrum half is just one of an exciting number of young talents.”

ITALY

“Italy also have a new coach in Jacques Brunel. He had great success with Perpignan in the French Top 14 and he will be looking to continue that with Italy. They play England second up and their Captain and number 8 Sergio Parrisse is a truly world class back row forward.”

ENGLAND

“Which leaves me with England who will be the third team starting the campaign with a new coach in Stuart Lancaster. I know the boys will be desperate to put behind them the disappointments of the Autumn and Stuart has picked an exciting young squad. They have a tough start with away games against Scotland and Italy to kick off with but have home fixtures against Ireland and Wales to look forward to.Whilst they have a few injuries to cope with, players such as Ben Foden, Tom Croft and Dan Cole can have a big impact on the tournament. Owen Farrell is another young player with a massive future and one I am looking forward to seeing play.”

Jaguaracademyofsport

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Jonny Wilkinson contributed 25 points to Toulon’s 50-point thumping of strugglers Bayonne but the former England fly-half was anything but happy with a team performance that was less impressive than the scoreline suggested.

“It was a difficult match for us at the start,” Wilkinson told Var Matin. “Bayonne are always a physical team. Huget’s red card changed the match a bit. In the end we scored a few tries but the score didn’t really tell the story of the game.

“We know in the Top 14 that there are a lot of teams that can play so you’ve got to play and give everything right to the end. We’ll always to get the bonus point but it’s not always easy against a team like that. It’s a big thing for us to have taken the five points.

Scrum.com

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Toulon produced a stirring second-half showing as they romped to a bonus point-clinching 50-10 victory over 14-man Bayonne at the Stade Felix-Mayol.

The hosts only led 15-3 at the interval, with fly-half Jonny Wilkinson having outscored opposite number Benjamin Boyet by five penalties to one during a half which saw Bayonne winger Yoann Huget sent off for clashing with Toulon centre Mathieu Bastareaud, who has sent to the sin bin.

Toulon stretched their advantage when Steffon Armitage crashed over on 53 minutes but Bayonne posted a swift reply through Boyet. However, Toulon finally made their numerical advantage pay in the final quarter, with Geoffroy Messina, Armitage again, Luke Rooney and Alexis Palisson all crossing as they ultimately coasted home.

Jonny kicked 5 penalites and 5 conversions.

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Toulon breezed into the quarter-finals with a 50-6 rout of Petrarca Padova in Italy.

The big-spending French side took Pool 2 thanks to a seven-try romp, with Benjamin Lapeyre bagging a brace. Laurent Emmanuelli, Fabien Cibray, Alexis Palisson and Gabi Lovobalavu also crossed, while the referee awarded the visitors a penalty try.

Jonny kicked 3 conversions and 2 penalties

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Toulon scored two tries in the final two minutes to take maximum points from their Amlin Challenge Cup clash with Lyon.

They left it late to secure the bonus point but the victory does keep them in control of Pool 2 with a round of action still to play.

Matteus du Bruyn kicked Lyon into the lead with a third minute penalty but Toulon captain Jonny Wilkinson’s deft inside pass led to Leonardo Senatore crossing for the game’s first try ten minutes later.

Wilkinson converted and kicked a further three points before the break to give his side a 10-3 advantage at the interval.

Wing Benjamin Lapeyre pushed Toulon further ahead with his score after 53 minutes but the next score belonged to Lyon with number eight Nicolas Bontinck diving over with six minutes to go.

Toulon’s frantic two minutes began with Pierrick Gunther scoring with a minute to play. Jonny Wilkinson drop kicked the conversion and Toulon went immediately back on the attack from the resulting re-start.

And the hosts got the score they craved with full-back Luke Rooney touching down.

ERC Rugby

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Watch the video on the link below

Fineside Video

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England legend Jonny Wilkinson has urged rugby union to show ‘responsibility’ and address the worrying decrease in amateur participation.

It was announced in 2011 that the Rugby Football Union would lose more than £1million in public funding from taxpayers and the Lottery after a survey identified a reduction in adults playing the game at grassroots level.

The number of amateur rugby clubs in England is dwarfed by other sports, such as football, and the impact is felt at junior level through the minimal availability of coaches, facilities and a lack of links with local schools.

And Wilkinson, who in December announced his international retirement, is concerned after developing at junior level what he believes was the basis for his World Cup-winning career.

“My dad coached me and my brother when we were young,” he told Sky Sports. “That youth rugby period is instrumental.

“But, to a level, it is difficult to quantify, because what I learnt through those Sunday mornings, playing and training, was more than just how to play rugby and the joy of rugby.

Attractive

“It was more about teamwork, ethics, code of conduct, respect, values and all those things.

“It was so easy to understand, because it came in the form of this sport that you loved. The learning was almost subconscious and it set me up amazingly.

“Good, young teams and good, young team environments, there is no doubt about it, are the future of creating great individual players with the total package to lead the country forward.

“The importance is to connect with the youth and bring forward the quality and special side of rugby to make it attractive to everyone. Then of course it is supplying the facilities and accessibility to clubs.

“There is so much to be said for the fitness, the health and for the motivation which comes with great, young team sports. Rugby has that in spades.

“It is just the need for creating an image, an identity, which merits having young kids wanting to get involved. That is our responsibility.”

Sky Sports

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Jonny Wilkinson believes Stuart Lancaster’s appreciation of rugby union’s amateur era makes him the perfect man to instil the correct virtues in a new dawn for England.

Lancaster will name his Elite Player Squad on January 11 ahead of the Six Nations and he has already given indication of a new, firm stance after axing Danny Care over the scrum-half’s drink-drive offence.

England are attempting to rid themselves of the memory of this autumn’s World Cup debacle, having returned home from New Zealand in disgrace after on-field failures mixed with off-pitch scandals.

And Wilkinson has no doubts interim coach Lancaster is the right appointment, despite his status a relative unknown when compared to predecessor Martin Johnson, who resigned in November.

Lancaster’s appreciation of the days before rugby union turned professional in 1995 will, according to England legend Wilkinson, help to develop the correct disciplines, values and motivations among the squad.

“He is very much aware of that era of guys who had just got used to getting paid to play rugby having spent their lives leaving the office to go and train and then play on a Saturday,” the 2003 World Cup-winner exclusively told skysports.com of England’s new leader.

Fabulous power

“Being able to then do that for money gave them an appreciation and an ability to embrace it and make the most of it. I think that added something special to it. For me, it had a massive imprint in terms of creating the values which have since stuck with me.

“These were displayed to me by the England team of that era. I think, certainly, Stuart Lancaster is very aware of the fabulous power that comes with guys who really embrace everything they get.

“They put rugby ahead of everything else and take the team up there with it. I think it is Stuart Lancaster’s job to create the culture and the environment to ensure that it is something that follows.”

One of Lancaster’s early decisions as coach has been to scrap a winter training camp in Portugal in favour of relocating to his local club in Leeds, West Park Leeds RUFC, during late January.

And Wilkinson, who also reached the 2007 World Cup final with England, thinks his country has a lot of improvements to make ahead of the beginning of defence of their Six Nations title.

“The next step for England is to work out where they are and work out where they want to be and quickly work out what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. What is helpful and what is not helpful with regards to achieving the bridging of that gap,” he said.

Sky Sports

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You can follow him @jonnywilkinson

jonnywilkinson.com

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