Patience the key to Jonny's new challenge

Andy Robinson and Jonny Wilkinson are teaming up for a very tough task. Making England look like the reigning world champions with a squad who barely resemble the group who lifted the World Cup in Australia 11 months or so ago will take some doing.

England still have great strength in depth, but knocking it into a capable shape will take time, and they have not got much of that with the autumn internationals fast approaching. But at least Robinson has had the courage to pick the man he thinks can run the show on the pitch, and Wilkinson has had the courage to accept the challenge enthusiastically.

If the player has any doubts about his ability to combine the captaincy of England with being the team's inspirational hub as well as the most prolific points-scorer, he will not have been encouraged by the number of others who have been expressing reservations about his ability to take on all those responsibilities.

But he should ignore the question marks and relish the vote of confidence that Robinson has given him.

This week, Robinson is expected to be confirmed as England's head coach, and by nominating Wilkinson as his captain during the autumn internationals he has already shown the clear and positive thinking the job requires. It would have been easier for him to give the captaincy, temporarily, to one of the other senior survivors of the World Cup campaign for the matches against Canada, South Africa and Australia. This would have allowed Wilkinson to play himself back into full form, fitness and confidence without the extra burden of leadership.

But there weren't many putting their hands up. Richard Hill would have been ideal in the role, but the injury he picked up last week has cruelly ruled him out of the action for a long time.

In any case, Robinson had made up his mind. Wilkinson is his long-term choice, and Robinson decided that now seemed a very good time to start the rebuilding. If you were looking for firm foundations you would be hard-pressed to find two more likely-looking rocks.

There is still the matter of Wilkinson's form and fitness to be considered, and most of the doubts have stemmed from the fact that his comeback has yet to be convincing.

Yet I've been impressed by the way Wilkinson has welcomed his elevation to captain. No modest promises to do his best but a firm statement of his conviction that he is up to the job and that he intends to devote himself totally to making a success of it.

No one who has followed his career will be surprised at that. He is the most conscientious player I have seen, and when he says that he has never been satisfied with any game of rugby he has played and that he wants to be the best player ever, you get some idea of his driving force.

But you can be too intense and uptight in this game, and I feel that he has been trying too hard. I saw him play last weekend against Leicester, and he missed a few kicks and a few tackles. That's not like him, but what does he expect?

After his performance in the World Cup final I rated him as technically the best outside-half the game has ever seen. I also said that we haven't seen the best of him yet and I still believe that. But he has spent almost a year battling to recover from a serious nerve injury to his neck and shoulder, and he has to give himself time.

The way Charlie Hodgson has been playing for Sale probably made Wilkinson think that he needs to get back to form quickly.

That is why Robinson's announcement was so timely. It sends a message to Wilkinson that he is the No 1 at outside-half, and that the team are going to be rebuilt around him.

Having had that reassurance, Jonny should take a step back and realise that comebacks are not helped by being too hurried. He should remember that his predecessor, Lawrence Dallaglio, took a long period of rehabilitation after a knee injury before he regained his best form. There is no harm in being a perfectionist, but the great leaders also need to possess a bit of patience, too.