Double boost for Woodward

Lions boss Clive Woodward tonight received a double boost surrounding two of his potential Test-match stars against the All Blacks – Newcastle pair Jonny Wilkinson and Colin Charvis.

While England captain Wilkinson will remain on the sidelines again this weekend, his latest comeback from injury appears imminent.

Wales international Charvis, meanwhile, returns to the starting grid after three months out when he lines up for Newcastle against Zurich Premiership opponents Worcester at Kingston Park on Sunday.

And there is further good news for Woodward, with England World Cup centre Will Greenwood featuring in Harlequins colours on Saturday following a four-month absence recovering from shoulder surgery.

Newcastle boss Rob Andrew tonight revealed Wilkinson is very close to regaining full fitness.

Wilkinson has not played since Newcastle’s Premiership defeat against Quins almost four weeks ago, when he suffered his second knee injury of the season.

The latest fitness setback, which followed an earlier knee problem and a biceps injury, cast doubts over him making the Lions tour to New Zealand this summer.

But although Wilkinson will not be involved against Worcester – 24 hours before Woodward announces his squad – a return against Northampton tomorrow week must be distinctly possible.

“Jonny is about as close as you can get to being fit to play, but he just isn’t quite there yet,” said Andrew.

“He has done most of the training this week, but we just have to do things right and make sure he’s absolutely 100% when he does come back. We hope that he will be back next week – he’s very, very close – but we don’t take risks with any player. Jonny was part of that decision, and that’s just the way it is this week.”

If Newcastle reach the Premiership wildcard play-offs, then there are potentially five games Wilkinson could be involved in between now and Lions departure date of May 25.

Newcastle finish the regular league season with fixtures against Northampton and London Irish (April 30), before the wildcard semi-finals on May 7 and the Twickenham final seven days later.

The Lions also have a May 23 pre-tour encounter against Argentina in Cardiff, which would be an obvious opportunity for Wilkinson to be given an outing.

In the meantime, there is a clearer picture surrounding Charvis, who missed the entire RBS 6 Nations as Wales secured their first Grand Slam triumph since 1978.

Charvis, Wales’ outstanding player during their autumn Test matches, last played for the Falcons against Newport Gwent Dragons on January 16.

But he is now back in the Falcons starting line-up, taking over from Mike McCarthy at blindside flanker.

“Watching the matches as a spectator wasn’t easy,” admitted Charvis. “But I am determined to come back strong and contribute as much as I can in what is left of the season to help us qualify for the Heineken Cup again.

“It has been enormously frustrating to have been out of the side and away from the training environment when I was just starting to get more involved, but I am hungry to return.”

Elsewhere though, England prop Julian White will again be sidelined this weekend as Lions selection draws ever closer.

White, who missed Leicester’s Heineken Cup quarter-final demolition of Leinster in Dublin last Sunday, sits out the Welford Road appointment with Sale Sharks on Saturday due to a ’stinger’ injury.

White’s problem, which affects the neck and arm area, is a continued cause of concern for Woodward and Tigers coach John Wells.

Both White and his fellow World Cup winner Phil Vickery (broken arm) are currently out of action. They are strong Lions Test team contenders.

Gloucester forward Vickery suffered a setback earlier this week, when he was told that the fracture in his forearm had not sufficiently repaired itself, meaning another possible two or three weeks’ recovery time.