Jonny: My Autobiography (66 page)

Top: Mike Tindall helps me deal with the swirling wind during our victory over New Zealand in Wellington.

Above: One of my favourite matches on tour in Australia, 2003. A tough place to go and win, but we did it.

I never stopped thinking about rugby and goals as a kid. I never stopped as an adult either.

Taking on the Australian defence and the powerful Stirling Mortlock.

A massive performance from the boys up front provides me with some shots at goal in the RWC 2003 semi-final against France.

That kick, the one that changed my life in so many ways.

Words cannot describe just how good this moment felt.

Inset: Clive really did know exactly what he was doing. He was fantastic to me. I owe him a lot.

Top: Here’s a classic example of somewhere that you never thought you’d end up. It was an amazing privilege to meet Her Majesty The Queen with the team.

Middle left: Here I am flanked by a couple of guys I would lay down and die for: Mike Catt and Richard Hill. You won’t find two better people or players.

Middle right: BBC Sports Personality of the Year. I can’t even remember what I said in my speech. Thank you for the votes.

Bottom left: The guy behind it all who led from the front in every way. Our inspirational Martin Johnson checking on me one last time.

Bottom right: My close friend and the team’s Mr Consistent, Richard Hill, and I on the celebratory trip round London.

Sometimes you just get the timing right.

Sometimes you don’t. The chiropractor Brian Lima is a little high with this one. What a tackler, though.

I loved the contact sessions.

The final straw, almost. I thought this one had finally got me. The torn and dislocated kneecap was probably the worst of the lot.

Even worse than the big neck injury I suffered in my first game back after the 2003 World Cup.

Below: I still can’t stop myself from flying in.

Above: Adidas: always supporting me. The scary thing is, they missed off a shoulder operation and two more torn knee ligaments!