Wales face anxious wait over Shanklin

WALES face an anxious wait over the fitness of centre Tom Shanklin for their RBS 6 Nations Championship opener against Ireland.

Shanklin had been due to line up for Cardiff Blues in tonight’s Magners League appointment with Glasgow.

But the 2005 Lion has failed a fitness test on a thigh strain, ruling him out of contention. He last played on December 27.

Shanklin and Ospreys sensation James Hook are expected to forge Wales’ midfield partnership against Ireland, at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday week.

If Shanklin is ruled out, then either Harlequins centre Hal Luscombe or Toulouse’s former Wales captain Gareth Thomas would probably take over the number 13 shirt.

Wales coach Gareth Jenkins is due to announce his starting line-up next Tuesday.

England boss Brian Ashton, meanwhile, likened Jonny Wilkinson’s work ethic to that of superstar American golfer Tiger Woods.

Wilkinson looks set to launch his latest comeback when Newcastle resume their Guinness Premiership campaign against Heineken Cup quarter-finalists Leicester, at Welford Road on Saturday.

The 27-year-old has not played for England since landing a match-winning drop-goal in the 2003 World Cup final.

Wilkinson’s latest problem — a lacerated kidney — meant 12 weeks on the sidelines, although he has been retained in a 29-man England squad preparing for the world champions’ RBS 6 Nations appointment with Scotland on Saturday week.

Realistically, Wilkinson might not feature for England until mid-Six Nations, although Ashton termed his contribution, at a three-week Twickenham training camp this week, as “staggering.”

Newcastle have named Wilkinson among nine substitutes — the bench will be reduced to the regulation seven tomorrow — with every chance of him gaining a run-out against Tigers.

Ashton said: “If Jonny is back and has played a couple of games, it will be about form.

“And recent history shows that when he comes back from injury, he plays better than when he was in the game before he got injured. It is almost unbelievable.

“It is because he works incredibly hard. He is like Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods has got talent, but he works harder than anybody else. Jonny Wilkinson has got talent, but he also works harder than anybody else.