Nadine Dorries baffles rugby league audience by talking about rugby union great Jonny Wilkinson
SPORTS minister Nadine Dorries stunned a rugby league audience by talking about rugby union great Jonny Wilkinson.
Ms Dorries was launching a report into the social impact of the Rugby League World Cup being held in England in October and November.
But in a speech at a club in St Helens, Merseyside, she spoke of her pride watching England fly-half Wilkinson’s winning kick at the 2003 World Cup.
The Culture Secretary, 65, said: “I’ve always quite liked the idea of rugby league. My long-standing memory is that 2003 drop goal.
“I’ll let you into a secret. I think we were drinking Bloody Marys at the time. It was 11am but, wow, what a moment that was.”
She tried to laugh off the gaffe, saying she might have switched codes like Wilkinson team-mate Jason Robinson who played in both formats.
The host club’s vice-chair Billy Vaughan urged her to check facts before speaking.
He said: “I applaud the Government for investing in league but to make that reference to the drop-goal, we were floundered.”
World Cup chief Jon Dutton is inviting Ms Dorries to matches “to see what a wonderful sport league is”.
