Heineken Cup: Wilkinson rested for Toulouse clash

Lions star Jonny Wilkinson will watch from the sidelines when Newcastle face Toulouse in a must-win Heineken Cup Pool Six clash tomorrow.

The England fly-half has been rested by coach Steve Bates, even though Falcons have to win in France if they are to reach the quarter-finals of Europe’s premier competition.

Newcastle will also have to do without the injured pair of Stuart Grimes and captain Pat Lam.

‘‘Jonny needs a rest. He picked up a dead leg and a couple of other knocks playing for England last weekend and he’s played every game he could for us this season so we think it’s time he sat one out,’’ Bates told the club’s official website, www.newcastle-falcons.co.uk.

‘‘We will be without Pat Lam who has an ankle injury while Stuart Grimes has a niggling back problem but Gary Armstrong, Jamie Noon and Andrew Mower are all okay.’’

Harlequins will welcome back an influential trio from international duty as they bid to prove their quarter-final credentials at home against Castres in Pool Four.

Jason Leonard, Keith Wood, Will Greenwood and Dan Luger will all start but Paul Burke faces a late fitness test on a rib injury.

Wasps’ growing injury crisis has deepened with prop Darren Molloy ruled out of tomorrow’s home Pool Two tie against Treviso after damaging his ankle against London Irish.

He will undergo surgery next week and will be replaced at Loftus Road by Will Green.

Simon Shaw and Phil Greening both return from international commitments as Wasps play for pride having already been knocked out of the competition.

Llanelli, still in with a chance of qualification from Pool One, have influential captain Scott Quinnell available for their trip to Italy to face Calvisano.

The Welshman played 25 minutes of the Scarlets’ 28-25 victory over Cardiff in midweek, scoring their only try, and could start.