News

Wilkinson fit for season opener

Wednesday 27th August 2008

Can't touch this, yet: Jonny Wilkinson

England and Newcastle fly-half Jonny Wilkinson should be fit for the start of the Guinness Premiership season according to his club's management.

Wilkinson is expected to take the field for the Falcons against Sale on September 7 after recovering from surgery in the off-season to repair cartilage in his shoulder.

"Jonny is doing great," Falcons rugby director Steve Bates told the BBC.

"He looks in tip-top condition. He has had a bit of contact work and the medical opinion is very strong that he will be fit for the Sale game."

The injury is the latest in a long line of setbacks the 29-year-old has suffered since staring for England in their 2003 World cup triumph.

Wilkinson returned to international action in 2007 and earlier this year became the highest points scorer in Test history during the Six Nations.

The injury, which has been described as "long-standing tear", didn't stop Wilkinson from continuing to playing for Newcastle but his season ended with the Falcons semi-final elimination from the European Challenge Cup in April.

Wilkinson missed England's June tour to New Zealand but is the only specialist fly-half named in manager Martin Johnson's first elite player squad.

"Jonny is having a scan this week just to make sure that everything has healed up," added Bates.

"He had as full a part in training on our recent trip to France as was appropriate at this time in his recovery."

Newcastle will be relying on Wilkinson more than ever this season following the departures of England backs Mathew Tait and Toby Flood during the off-season as part of the Falcons strategy to maintain a strong squad during the November internationals and Six Nations.

"Certainly part of our strategy was that we could not afford to have four guys in a back-line that were going to be missing for 11 games," added Bates.

"The four players that have to replace them are not going to be of equivalent quality because it is going to be difficult to carry four international backs to cover them when they are away.

"And the problem is finding the rugby that they need in order to step in and play for an autumn series when they probably have not played before at that level."