Wilkinson backs wayward England stand-in Hodgson

Jonny Wilkinson has given his backing to Charlie Hodgson following widespread criticism of the current England flyhalf's poor goalkicking in Sunday's 18-17 defeat by France.

Hodgson missed three of his four penalty attempts and was horribly wide with a straightforward late drop goal. He slotted one penalty and two under-the-posts conversions, while centre Olly Barkley also missed three long-range penalty attempts.

Hodgson also missed kicks in the defeats against Wales and Australia, but England's injured World Cup-winning flyhalf Wilkinson was happy to defend the man keeping the number 10 shirt warm in his absence.

"Charlie Hodgson had six place-kicks at goal and hit five of them perfectly, so the reaction he has had to face, while predictable, has been blown out of all proportion," he said.

"It's easy enough to say that France kicked six goals while England missed six, but it's far more than just the goalkicking that wins or loses games.

"You have to look at the different phases of play, where and why the penalties were conceded, the various decisions made that affect the balance of a game and also take into account the other parts of Charlie's game, which were working very well."