Wilkinson Joins Sky Sports Rugby Line-up

England’s World Cup winning fly-half, Jonny Wilkinson, will feature on-air as an analyst for Sky Sports and as an ambassador for Sky Sports Living for Sport from this weekend.

The former Toulon captain, who retired this summer, will be in the studio for the first time on Saturday as Sale take on Munster and Premiership champions Northampton Saints travel to Paris to face Racing Métro in Sky Sports’ opening two fixtures in the European Rugby Champions Cup.

Wilkinson will then be reunited in the studio with Rugby World Cup winning colleagues Sir Clive Woodward and Will Greenwood as England face the All Blacks at Twickenham on 8th November.

As part of the new deal, Wilkinson will also become an ambassador for the Sky Sports Living for Sport initiative, which is free to all secondary schools in the UK and Ireland.

The Sky Sports Living for Sport initiative has been running in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust since 2003, with over 90,000 young people expected to take part this year.

Wilkinson commented: ‘I’ve been fortunate enough to have some incredible experiences on the rugby pitch. I’m excited about passing on my passion and sharing what I’ve learnt over the years with Sky Sports viewers and young people in the next chapter of my career. I’ll be in impressive company as I join another successful team and I hope that I can play my part in the studio.’

Barney Francis, Sky Sports managing director, commented: ‘Jonny is a sporting legend. We all remember where we were when we watched that drop goal.’

‘Having been there and done it in every competition for club and country, rugby fans will want to hear his perspective on our biggest ever season of international and European rugby. I can’t wait to see him in action.’

Wilkinson retired earlier this year, after taking RC Toulon to the Top 14 and Heineken Cup title in his final season. He ended his career as the second highest international points scorer of all time and played a pivotal role in England’s famous 2003 Rugby World Cup win. His CV also includes four RBS 6 Nation Championship medals, Premiership success with Newcastle Falcons and two tours with The British and Irish Lions.

Despite losing a number of rugby rights to BT Sport in the past couple of years, the Sky Sports rugby union schedule still features over 360 live matches this season including Autumn Internationals from England, Ireland, France and Italy, European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, Top 14, Guinness PRO12, IRB Sevens World Series, and women’s rugby.