Wilkinson suffers knee injury blow

JONNY WILKINSON is battling to play again before Christmas after being cut down by another cruel injury blow.

The Newcastle fly-half looks certain to miss England’s entire autumn Test programme, which features Twickenham clashes with the Pacific Islanders, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. Wilkinson’s place in the 32-man elite England squad is set to be filled by Danny Cipriani.

Neither Newcastle nor England’s Rugby Football Union are speculating on how long Wilkinson will be sidelined after he dislocated his left knee during Falcons’ Guinness Premiership defeat against Gloucester on Tuesday night.