Wilkinson out after dislocating knee
Posted
Jonny Wilkinson looks set to miss England's November meetings with Australia, New Zealand and South Africa after suffering a dislocated left knee.
The fly half was forced off the field 25 minutes into his club Newcastle's Premiership defeat at Gloucester yesterday and it was confirmed that the injury is, as feared, a serious one.
Newcastle director of rugby Steve Bates said: "It is obviously disappointing for Jonny to receive an injury just when he was back playing fantastic rugby, but he has enormous strength of character and I am sure he will come back stronger despite this blow."
The knee dislocation is the latest in a string of injury setbacks for the player who kicked the winning drop goal in the final seconds of the 2003 World Cup final.
The 29-year-old hardly played between the 2003 and 2007 World Cups and only returned from a six-month lay-off in September following shoulder surgery.
In the wake of England's 2003 triumph, Wilkinson was initially sidelined by a shoulder problem but knee, bicep and groin injuries have afflicted him since then and he has also required surgery to cure kidney and appendix problems.
England is due to begin its November Test series against the Pacific Islanders on November 1 before facing all three Tri-Nations sides on successive weekends.
-AFP
