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Dawson slams Woodward over Wilkinson

24/10/2005

England star Matt Dawson has slammed Clive Woodward for putting his faith in Jonny Wilkinson for the first Lions Test.

Despite having had very little rugby under his belt between the World Cup final in 2003 and the summer Lions tour to New Zealand due to injury, Wilkinson started the first Test.

The 26-year-old was picked at centre, a position relatively unfamiliar to him, even though he had only played there during one of the warm up matches.

Woodward has received notable criticism for his handling for the tour and Dawson, the experienced England scrum-half, adding to this by questioning the decision to play Wilkinson.

"I would never have played Wilkinson in a million years," said Dawson, speaking to BBC Radio Five Live.

"He was not up to Test level, let alone Lions level, and was played at centre, where he had not played for years.

"I'm not blaming Jonny, but that was a very tough call. I'm not a selector and everyone has their view."

Dawson, who was in the Lions squad but did not start in any of the Test matches, believes Woodward's failure to generate the level of team spirit created by Ian McGeechan in 1997 was partly to blame for the 3-0 defeat.

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