England rugby union legend Jonny Wilkinson reveals 'opportunity' with Wigan Warriors

The 2003 World Cup winner was the latest guest on the Leeds Rhinos legend’s BBC podcast, involving seven questions to seven guests using his eye-controlled computer.

Revealing his love for rugby league, 44-year-old Wilkinson says was approached to train with Wigan Warriors during a lengthy injury layoff.

He told Burrow and his wife and co-host Lindsey: "It’s mad now, I probably watch more rugby league than I do rugby union. And it’s been like that for a long time.

"I always wondered: ‘Could I do it?’

“I always wondered if I could adapt, and I had an opportunity.

“I was injured for so long but I had a couple of opportunities. They were largely just there thrown out to help me out to say, ‘look, after your injuries, do you want to come and do a summer with us?’

“It was just a few months around the Wigan team at the time. And there was part of me that was like I’d love to go and find out. The only issue was that had I reinjured, the rest of my career was gone. Clubs who’d employed me would never have let that go."

The former Newcastle Falcons and Toulon fly-half played alongside ex-Wigan icons Andy Farrell and Jason Robinson on the international stage, with the latter having scored in the 2003 20-17 triumph over Australia, with Wilkinson kicking the winner.

"I was hugely inspired by [rugby league],” he continued.

"I spent a lot of my time trying to impress those guys who came towards me!

"So like the Jasons [Robinson] and Andy Farrells, whenever I was next to them I was like I’ve got to do something so that they respect me.

"I love what the guys do. I love the fact that if you were to go take a ball it’s because you mean to score. I watch it all the time. If it’s on I find myself sat there going ‘oh, highlights of more Super League games or the NRL.’”

To listen to the full 18-minute episode, click HERE.