England manager Martin Johnson defended Jonny Wilkinson after naming the fly-half in an unchanged team to play Ireland in Saturday's Six Nations clash at Twickenham.
Johnson stuck with the same starting side that beat Italy 17-12 in unconvincing fashion away in Rome last weekend when Wilkinson, who unusually missed three of his six goalkicks, was much criticised for failing to ignite England's back division.
But Johnson, a strong supporter of Wilkinson, was always unlikely to drop the world record points scorer and replace him with bench stand-off Toby Flood.
"Everyone is pointing fingers at Jonny but it's a team issue," Johnson told reporters at England's training base here on Tuesday.
"There's always a discussion about players," Johnson said in response to suggestions that Wilkinson, who had been suffering with "muscle tightness", was 'undroppable'.
"We are lucky to have two players of that calibre in our group.
If Toby played, we wouldn't miss a beat.
"It's simplistic to say Toby is a running 10 and Jonny is a kicking 10. I find it strange and disappointing, the amount of criticism Jonny has had to deal with."
Former England scrum-half Matt Dawson, who played alongside Wilkinson in the team that won the 2003 World Cup, was scathing last week about the stand-off, saying he lacked the ability to make good decisions.
Johnson, England's World Cup winning captain seven years ago, joked Tuesday: "I didn't make any decisions at all, it was all Matt Dawson.
"I think Jonny does make decisions. I have a little bit of a wry smile when I read some of those articles. I don't have to sit here and defend what Jonny's done in rugby." Meanwhile Wilkinson said that despite the flak coming his way, it was business as usual.
"I'm as unsatisfied as I've ever been," the perfectionist No 10, now at French club Toulon, explained.
"In every game I've ever played, I've never been satisfied. I'm at the same level of dissatisfaction as I've been throughout my entire career.
"I will probably resign in however many years probably the most unsatisfied man in the world. But I hope to go on that way because it keeps me driving."
Johnson added England would not feel obliged to play a running game this weekend after a lacklustre showing against Italy.
"We want to improve on last week but we are not replaying that game. This is a new game," he said.
"If we have to kick for 80 minutes on the day to win we'll do it, if we have to run the ball for 80 minutes we'll do it."
Johnson did make changes to his bench as he opted for a split of four forwards and three backs, having gone with five and two in Italy.
Lee Mears, who didn't feature in the November Tests through injury, replaced Steve Thompson as reserve hooker.
Experienced back-rower Joe Worsley, fit again after a knee injury, replaced Steffon Armitage and full-back Ben Foden came onto the bench instead of prop Matt Mullan.
Six Nations champions Ireland were beaten 33-10 by France in Paris last time out and Johnson said: "Ireland are coming off a tough loss in a difficult place to play. They will want to bounce back."
Last year Ireland beat England 14-13 in Dublin and Johnson said: "Ireland are very savvy, very smart at the breakdown."
England may have won both their Six Nations matches so far this season, having started with a victory over Wales, but that hasn't stopped the criticism coming their way.
"When you win games you don't have to make apologies for how you do it, although we seem to have to," said Johnson.
England (15-1)
Delon Armitage; Mark Cueto, Mathew Tait, Riki Flutey, Ugo Monye; Jonny Wilkinson, Danny Care; Nick Easter, Lewis Moody, James Haskell; Steve Borthwick (capt), Simon Shaw; Dan Cole, Dylan Hartley, Tim Payne
Replacements: Lee Mears, David Wilson, Louis Deacon, Joe Worsley, Paul Hodgson, Toby Flood, Ben Foden
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