England wait on Wilkinson fitness

World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson will be assessed by England’s medical staff next week – but his chances of making the RBS 6 Nations Championship opener against Italy appear remote.

England boss Clive Woodward has already ruled out five injured players for the February 15 clash in Rome – centres Mike Tindall and Stuart Abbott, fly-half Charlie Hodgson, prop Julian White and flanker Lewis Moody.

And it looks increasingly likely that fly-half star Wilkinson will join England’s list of absentees.

Wilkinson, whose dramatic late drop-goal landed the World Cup in Sydney two months ago, has been included among a 43-man Six Nations training squad, even though he is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury.

The Newcastle fly-half has played just 58 minutes’ rugby since returning home from Australia, and that appearance in a Zurich Premiership game against Northampton was three days after Christmas.

“Jonny Wilkinson and Mike Catt (hamstring and calf) will be re-assessed next week,” said England team doctor Simon Kemp.

“Stuart Abbott (ankle), Mike Tindall (ankle), Charlie Hodgson (knee), Lewis Moody (foot) and Julian White (knee) will not be able to be considered for the Italy match.”

Catt is closer to full fitness than Wilkinson, although Catt’s comeback remains on hold, probably until Bath’s Premiership showdown with Wasps on Saturday week.

Catt, his Bath colleague Olly Barkley, Northampton’s Paul Grayson and Wasps fly-half Alex King are among Woodward’s contenders to wear the number 10 jersey if, as seems likely, Wilkinson does not recover in time.

Elsewhere, Woodward has selected 29 of the 31 players used during England’s World Cup campaign. Martin Johnson, newly-retired from Test rugby, and wing Dan Luger are the exceptions.

The experienced Luger had a poor World Cup and has quit English club rugby for a new career with French side Perpignan, but Woodward insists he is not out of favour.

“I have spoken to Dan, and we both feel it’s best for the time being that he stays in France and settles down with his new club Perpignan,” said Woodward.

“But he is in no way out of the picture with England, and he will be seriously considered for the future.

“I am also monitoring Austin Healey’s form closely. Like Dan, I feel Austin will benefit from a solid period with his club Leicester at the moment, and I didn’t feel that I could leave out any of the current squad.”

Among those back on the England beat are Leicester prop Graham Rowntree, who missed out on a World Cup trip Down Under, and the Gloucester pair of Henry Paul and James Simpson-Daniel.

There are also three uncapped players included – Sale Sharks hooker Andy Titterrell, Sharks back-five forward Chris Jones and Bath prop Matt Stevens.

Titterrell, though, is currently suspended and cannot play until late next month, while Jones and Stevens are more likely to be involved in scheduled A team games against Italy and France.

“These players are all there because of their excellent form for their clubs,” added Woodward.

“Stevens is an exciting talent for the future, and I would like to offer a big welcome back to Henry Paul, who is in outstanding form and is selected on merit.”

Paul, the former Wigan and Bradford rugby league star, made his Test debut as a substitute against France in Paris almost two years ago, but has not featured since.

Woodward, though, has stayed true to his mantra of picking players in form. Paul is the top points-scorer in this season’s Heineken Cup, while delivering consistently-high class club displays.

“I’ve got to keep playing the way I have been, and hope that I cause Sir Clive a few selection headaches,” said Paul, who celebrates his 30th birthday next month.

“It is great news to be named in the squad, and I always said that I had international ambitions.

“It just makes you want to play even better, and I must admit that with the long list of talented youngsters England have got, I thought I might have missed my chance.”

The squad will assemble for a two-day gathering at England’s Surrey training base early next week.