Johnson backs Jonny to shine on tour

England’s World Cup-winning skipper Martin Johnson is optimistic that Jonny Wilkinson can achieve as much in the second half of his career as in his highly successful first half.

Wilkinson won 52 England caps in five and a half years until his career was stalled by the injuries which have sidelined him from the international game since his kick won the 2003 World Cup.

But the 25-year-old is back in action for Newcastle Falcons and the British & Irish Lions, and Johnson is hoping his former international colleague can make a huge impact on the summer tour of New Zealand.

“He’s had a difficult run of injuries so I would like to see him doing really well,” said Johnson.

“If his injuries have cleared up and he gets back to the player that he was it will be fantastic.

“He’s had a very difficult run and there is all the speculation about him and when he is going to get back playing.

“It must be so difficult for him because everyone gets injured and guys have injury problems like he has, Lewis Moody was injured like he was.

“It would be great for him to get back and to get some games under his belt and prove he’s fit again.

“Hopefully he can enjoy the next five or six years of his career and not have as bad a problem as he’s had.”

Wilkinson was a late addition to the Lions squad, with head coach Clive Woodward excluding him from the original party before being won around by the fly-half’s enthusiasm and recovered fitness.

It was ultimately a decision which was controversy-free, with it hard to begrudge Wilkinson – a match-winner on his day – his place on the tour.

However there were a number of issues which raised eyebrows, notably the inclusion of only three Scotland players among the 45-strong party.

Chris Cusiter, Gordon Bulloch and Simon Taylor are the Scots who will fly out on Wednesday to New Zealand to prepare for Tests against the mighty All Blacks.

Woodward surprised many by omitting Chris Paterson from the squad and overlooking the experienced Tom Smith.

However, Johnson, speaking in Edinburgh yesterday as he helped promote children’s charity NCH, is adamant his former England coach made such decisions solely for the good of the team.

And the former Leicester Tigers lock believes Scotland’s poor RBS 6 Nations form over the last two years is one reason the Scots are so poorly represented.

He said: “Scotland have won two games in the Six Nations in the last two years so it’s always going to be harder for their players to get picked.

“Wales won the Grand Slam so they are obviously going to have a few more.

“If you’re in a good team playing well you will obviously have a better chance of going.

“I thought the likes of Chris Paterson and Jason White were all unlucky not to be in it, but it’s about those guys that are on it.”