Jonny Wilkinson to retire at the end of the season

England Rugby World Cup and Heineken Cup winner with Toulon Jonny Wilkinson
has announced that he will retire from playing rugby at the end of the season.

Wilkinson had planned to retire from playing last season but Toulon convinced
him to stay on for another season.

The former England flyhalf has released a brief statement in which he said
that he does not want his retirement to distract his attention to Toulon’s final
two games of the season – the Top 14 final and the Heineken Cup final.

“I want to officially announce my retirement from rugby player today,”
said Wilkinson in a statement on the Toulon’s site..

“Needless to say I have a lot of people to thank for their support throughout
the world but especially here in France and England. “

Wilkinson said that he will not be making a further statement on his retirement
as he does not want distractions ahead of the team’s two pivotal matches.

“But this is not the time to focus on my retirement because I want to focus
all my attention and energy on the team and the last two games of the season.”

“I sincerely want to thank you all for everything you have given me and
for making these last seventeen years is something I will never forget. ”