Wilkinson ties the knot in secret

Bandol - Former England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson has married his long-term live-in girlfriend Shelley Jenkins in a private ceremony in the southern French resort of Bandol on Monday, the local mayor reported.

Wilkinson, 34, a national hero in England after clinching the 2003 World Cup with a last-gasp drop goal against Australia in the final, now plies his trade with nearby French Top 14 club and European champions Toulon.

Bandol mayor Christian Palix said Wilkinson and Jenkins, who live in the town, had only invited two witnesses to the low-key ceremony in the local town hall.

"He is an iconic figure in the sporting world and someone with great human qualities," Palix said.

The couple have been together for eight years after meeting on a beach on the Spanish island of Majorca, shortly after Wilkinson's relationship with TV sports presenter Diana Stewart broke up.