Rock idolised Wilkinson

July 12, 2016

Dublin's Dean Rock scores a point from the penalty spot ©INPHO/Cathal Noonan

Dean Rock says rugby legend Jonny Wilkinson was one of his sporting idols.

Dublin's free-taking specialist played a lot of rugby growing up and represented Catholic University School's Junior and Senior Cup teams. He was a huge admirer of the Englishman:

"When I was younger, he would have been one of my sporting idols. I would have played a lot of rugby growing up, would have been a goal-kicker as well, so I'd have based a lot of my training on him," he is quoted in The Irish Independent.

"Certainly, you have to be very obsessive about it because, at the end of the day, you have a huge responsibility to the team that, if it's tight, you have to stick the ball over the bar.

"I'm always trying to improve, get better and get those extra inches on it. Throughout the years, you grow and grow in confidence in terms of kicking frees on big days.

"At this moment in time, I'm extremely confident as a player and a footballer. The confidence comes from knowing that you've performed a kick 100 times in the last two or three weeks and that you're going to be able to put it over the bar. That's where I get my confidence."


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