Wilkinson out of NZ tour
Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:19
Eyes not on the ball: England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson
Jonny Wilkinson, a 2003 World Cup-winner, has been ruled out of England's two-Test tour of New Zealand in June after being told he will have to undergo shoulder surgery at the end of the Guinness Premiership season.
The flyhalf will also miss England's June 1 match against the Barbarians as a result of the operation to repair a long-standing
cartilage tear.
Rob Andrew, England's director of elite rugby, said: "We decided with Newcastle Falcons and Jonny that it was in his best interests to have this operation at the end of the season so that he can spend the summer rehabilitating.
"Of course we would have liked him to tour and we intend to take our strongest available squad but player welfare is important and in this case it's the right call for Jonny not to go to New Zealand."
The revelation that Wilkinson, 28, has to have another operation comes at the end of what has been a mixed season for a player, who spent much of the time between scoring the winning drop-goal in the 2003 World Cup Final in Sydney and last year's World Cup in France sidelined with a variety of injuries.
Although Wilkinson has managed to stay largely injury-free since the World Cup, his future with England has been cast into doubt as a result of some below par performances for the national side and the emergence of Danny Cipriani as a potential replacement for him as first-choice playmaker.
England will name a 32-man squad for the tour to New Zealand on Tuesday May 13.
The squad for the Gartmore Challenge (against the Barbarians) will be announced on Monday May 19, after the Guinness Premiership semifinals.
England's tour fixtures in New Zealand:
June 14: v New Zealand (Auckland), Kick-off 19.35 (07.35 GMT)
June 21: v New Zealand (Christchurch), Kick-off 19.35 (07.35 GMT)
