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More woe for Wilkinson
ENGLAND fly-half Jonny
Wilkinson has been ruled out of
the forthcoming tour to New
Zealand because of injury.
The Rugby Football Union
confirmed the 28-year-old will
undergo shoulder surgery when
the current season ends.
It means the Newcastle Falcons
player will miss the June 14
clash in Auckland and the following
week's fixture in
Christchurch.
Wilkinson, 28, missed his
club's seventh consecutive
Guinness Premiership defeat
away to Sale Sharks on Sunday
because of concussion.
However, it is a shoulder problem
that means he will not play
a part in the tour to New
Zealand, which will be under the
guidance of RFU elite rugby director
Rob Andrew, with newlyappointed
team manager Martin
Johnson staying in England
with his pregnant wife Kay.
Andrew said: 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 is the
right call for Jonny not to go to
New Zealand.
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.''
Wilkinson became the highest
points scorer in Test history during
this year's RBS 6 Nations
campaign - but lost his place to
Danny Cipriani in the final
match against Ireland.
However, having signed a new
two-year contract with his club,
Wilkinson had set his sights on
forcing his way back into the
team.
After missing the Sale loss he
is expected to return for the visit
of Worcester Warriors in the European
Challenge Cup semifinal.
But once Newcastle's season is
over, Wilkinson will undergo
surgery on what is described as
a long-standing labral (cartilage)
tear''.
The surgery also means the
fly-half will not be available for
England's match against the
Barbarians at Twickenham on
June 1.
6:20pm Monday 21st April 2008
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