Jonny Wilkinson says England have momentum heading into World Cup

England are currently peaking according to Jonny Wilkinson.

Eddie Jones’ side will be confident of success after beating Ireland in a record win in Twickenham in their final game, live on Sky Sports, and face Italy in their closing warm-up match on Friday.
England also conquer Six Nations champions Wales last month before losing the osmosis in Wilkinson and Cardiff was impressed with their preparations for the World Cup, which begins in Tokyo.
“They have used the pre-season brightly, ” the warm-up matches,” said Wilkinson. “They are almost peaking and also have obtained momentum going in, which is great.
“Every game seems to have a real goal and objective about why they’re playing it, which team they are picking and the reason why they’re choosing it.
“It is not just a case of’Let us see whether we can win a few games’, it’s more’Let’s go and see what we’re capable of, and put some stuff into practice that we have been working on in camp’.
“The guys look excited, fresh and physically prepared. I believe that is going to be crucial going in now, that they don’t do a lot of but do to maintain a confident state of mind come the very first match.”
England remain with Wilkinson famously kicking at his side to triumph over hosts Australia in 2003, the only northern hemisphere country to have won the World Cup.
England could face Australia in the quarter-finals of the championship of this year and Wilkinson has backed the current generation if they hit the final four, to go all of the way.
“The barrier for me personally was constantly quarter-finals,” he explained. “The tournament was always divided into two phases – the Pool stage and the latter phases but now I believe the quarter-final holds an intriguing position.
“Two of those World Cups I was involved we exited at the quarter-final and others went directly to the final. That is the turning point, for me.
“Once you hit this semi-final stage there is a certain degree of letting things to go the way that they are. We constantly felt strong about semi-finals, just like that isn’t where it ends.
“However, the quarter-final is the point in which you come from this group phases and people believe’this isn’t enough, it’s never enough’, semi-final is the place you believe should you get there you are moving.
“I would like to find that a few northern hemisphere titles in that semi-final draw and surely to see among them at the final will be nice. When it had been England I’d be happier.”

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