Jonny Wilkinson suffers a new injury blow

01 October 2008

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Jonny Wilkinson has suffered a host of injury problems since the 2003 World Cup.

The 29-year-old was playing his fourth game since returning froma shoulder injury.

He appeared to have twisted his knee at a ruck before being carried off midway through the first half at Kingsholm.

England begin their autumn Test programme at Twickenham in less than six weeks.

The first game Wilkinson will miss is Newcastle's opening EDF Energy Cup clash at Welsh region the Dragons at Rodney Parade on Friday night.

Wilkinson was likely to contest the fly-half jersey with Leicester's Toby Flood against the Pacific Islands, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, the first Tests under new manager Martin Johnson.

If his latest injury proves serious and he is unavailable, it will focus even more attention on the speed of Danny Cipriani's comeback from a serious ankle injury.

Cipriani, who took over from Wilkinson in England's number 10 jersey in the last game of this year's Six Nations against Ireland, plays his first game for Wasps since May on Wednesday.

The 20-year-old was not included in Johnson's 32-man elite England squad in July, given that it was anticipated he would be sidelined until the new year, and was named in the Saxons squad instead.

But Johnson has the option of moving players into the elite squad in the event of injury or suspension.

Wilkinson missed three years of Test rugby after kicking England to World Cup glory in 2003.

World rugby's highest-ever Test points scorer suffered knee, arm, shoulder and kidney problems among a variety of ailments.

He has suffered medial ligament damage to his left knee twice before, against Perpignan in January 2005 and on his comeback against Harlequins in March 2005.

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