Blow for England as Wilkinson ruled out for Lansdowne Road game

JONNY WILKINSON will not be fit in time for England’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland in Dublin, according to his Newcastle boss Rob Andrew.

The England fly-half suffered knee-ligament damage on January 8 in a Heineken Cup clash against Perpignan and the initial diagnosis put his recovery time at between six and eight weeks.

England, who badly missed Wilkinson's goal-kicking as they slipped to defeat against France on Sunday, travel to Dublin to play championship favourites Ireland on February 27.