Further injury woes put Wilkinson in doubt for Lions

England 39 Italy 7

Wilkinson was carried from the field just 34 minutes into his comeback match for Newcastle against Zurich Premiership opponents Harlequins at The Stoop.

The England and Falcons fly-half had been sidelined for nine weeks recovering from an injury to his left knee, but he flew home to Tyneside last night with further fitness concerns surrounding the same knee.

England’s World Cup hero will undergo a scan and see a specialist in Newcastle today, after which a clearer picture will emerge about whether he will play again this season.

England complete their RBS 6 Nations Championship campaign against Scotland at Twickenham next Saturday, when Wilkinson could conceivably have returned for his first Test appearance since the World Cup final, but that is now inconceivable.

Clive Woodward is set to announce the Lions squad to tour New Zealand on April 11 - they leave for New Zealand on May 25 - and he will be anxiously monitoring developments surrounding Wilkinson.

Wilkinson looked in fine fettle during his time on the pitch, kicking two penalties and a conversion before he was left prone after attempting to tackle Quins prop Ceri Jones.

And when Wilkinson went off, Newcastle capitulated as they sunk to a 39-23 defeat.

Meanwhile, Andy Robinson insisted England “will only get better” after the world champions completed a 39-7 routine Italian job and avoided any prospect of an embarrassing RBS 6 Nations whitewash.

With England having endured their worst season in Six Nations history, Robinson’s optimism could be viewed as a coach merely clutching at straws.

But there was enough evidence at a muted Twickenham - notably the form of recalled fullback Iain Balshaw and hat-trick hero Mark Cueto - to support the Robinson theory of onwards and upwards.

England should finish the Six Nations season with a Calcutta Cup victory over Twickenham visitors Scotland next Saturday, and Robinson can then get on with the serious business of long-term planning for autumn appointments with New Zealand, Australia and Samoa.

England were expected to preserve their 100% success rate against wooden-spoon favourites Italy from 11 starts, and so it proved as Martin Corry’s men did their utmost to try to erase memories of recent defeats against Wales, France and Ireland.

The lasting impression from England’s 2005 Six Nations campaign will be one of failure, given those losses, yet Robinson was able to accentuate the positives after a six-try triumph. “I feel it is important that this team grows together, and as you can see, there haven’t been many changes,” said Robinson.

“We are trying to build a team and a squad together, and that takes a little bit of time. But we have certainly got the foundations now, and it has been about sticking together and we will only get better.” While England’s forwards were given a thorough work-out by a committed Italian pack that bravely shrugged off the first-half departure of injured hooker Fabio Ongaro, it was the home backs who took centre stage. Sale Sharks speedster Cueto took his England try tally to seven in seven appearances, and there were also touchdowns for Balshaw, hooker Steve Thompson and substitute flanker Andy Hazell.

Robinson could even afford to use all seven of his replacements, including awarding Test debuts to Leicester fly half Andy Goode and Bath prop Duncan Bell, and the only real negative note for England was another poor goalkicking display by Charlie Hodgson, who missed four shots from seven attempts.

Balshaw’s impressive comeback after a year out of international rugby underlined England’s strength in depth in the back-three, and when Jason Robinson returns from injury to the Test-match arena next season it will ensure a torrid time for opposition defences.

England scorers: Tries: Cueto 3, Thompson, Balshaw, Hazell. Cons: Hodgson 2, Goode. Pens: Hodgson.

ENGLAND: Balshaw, Cueto, Noon, Barkley, Lewsey, Hodgson, Ellis, Rowntree, Thompson, Stevens, Grewcock, Kay, Worsley, Moody, Corry.

Replacements: Smith for Noon (66), Goode for Hodgson (74), Dawson for Ellis (51), Bell for Rowntree (74), Titterell for Thompson (66), Borthwick for Grewcock (62), Hazell for Worsley (74).

Italy scorers: Tries: Troncon. Cons: Peens. Italy: Peens, Pedrazzi, Barbini, Masi, Nitoglia, Orquera, Troncon, Lo Cicero, Ongaro, Perugini, Del Fava, Bortolami, Persico, Dal Maso, Parisse, Intoppa.

Replacements: Pozzebon for Barbini (40), Intoppa for Ongaro (24), Castrogiovanni for Perugini (56), Dellape for Del Fava (54), Orlando for Dal Maso (40), Savi for Intoppa (62).

Referee: M Lawrence (South Africa).