World Cup-winning coach Sir Clive Woodward has said that he believes Jonny Wilkinson was better at his peak than New Zealand number 10 Dan Carter.
The 57-year-old, who guided England to success in Australia in 2003, said that All Blacks fly-half is the "poster boy" of international rugby - a mantle he has taken from the Toulon star.
"Fly-half is rugby's glamour position and Carter is the sport's poster boy, the successor to Jonny Wilkinson in the international game," Woodward wrote in his column for the Daily Mail.
"It is a great shame we never saw the pair go head-to-head at their peak but I believe Wilkinson would have had the edge."
With England ready to welcome the world champions to Twickenham on Saturday, Woodward outlined the importance of stopping Carter, who will be winning his 100th cap, from running the show.
"The key to stopping the All Blacks is to get Carter," he added.
"The New Zealand game centres around the number 10, it is the axis off which they run most of their plays so England's ambition must be to take that link out of the chain.
"He is an astute tactician and a master of putting the ball where you are not, so you need to charge the quarterback and 'sack' him behind the gain line."
Wilkinson was the driving force behind the Red Rose's success Down Under a decade ago.
Michael Penkman
