‘I had an opportunity’: Jonny Wilkinson reveals how close he was to code switch

Jonny Wilkinson’s name will forever be associated with rugby union, but the legendary England fly-half had a surprising opportunity to make the leap to rugby league during his career.

The 2003 World Cup winner was a guest on the Seven: Rob Burrow podcast this week, hosted by the Leeds Rhinos legend and his wife Lindsey, where he was asked whether he contemplated a code switch during his trophy-laden career.

Wilkinson revealed that he received an offer from Super League powerhouse Wigan Warriors one summer during his injury ravaged four years between 2003 and 2007.

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“I was injured for so long but I had a couple of opportunities,” the 44-year-old said.

“They were largely just there thrown out to help me out to say, ‘look, after your injuries, do you want to come and do a summer with us?’

“It was just a few months around the Wigan team at the time. And there was part of me that was like I’d love to go and find out.

“I always wondered: ‘Could I do it?’

“I always wondered if I could adapt, and I had an opportunity.”

While the majority of the rugby world would have been intrigued to see how the hard-tackling kicking machine fared in the other code, if only for a summer, he admitted that an injury during that time could have spelled the end of his career.

“The only issue was that had I reinjured, the rest of my career was gone. Clubs who employed me would never have let that go.”

Though the move never came to fruition, Wilkinson described his love of rugby league on the podcast, and how he actually watches more league than union these days.

“It’s mad now,” the former World Rugby player of the year said.

“I probably watch more rugby league than I do rugby union, and it’s been like that for a long time.”

Wilkinson brushed shoulders with plenty of league greats during his England career, with Wigan legends Jason Robinson and Andy Farrell probably being the two biggest. He explained how he was “hugely inspired” by league and ex league players during his career, so much so that he persistently battled for the respect of his teammates.

“I spent a lot of my time trying to impress those guys who came towards me,” he said.

“So like the Jasons [Robinson] and Andy Farrells, whenever I was next to them I was like I’ve got to do something so that they respect me.

“I love what the guys do. I love the fact that if you were to go take a ball it’s because you mean to score. And I do watch it now, constantly. I watch it all the time. If it’s on I find myself sat there going ‘oh, highlights of more Super League games or the NRL.”