Sport 22-10-2004 Wilkinson Misses Autumn Internationals who: Jonny Wilkinson what: To miss England internations with recurring right arm injury where: TWICKENHAM when: Next month snippet: "Jonny Wilkinson looks certain to miss England`s three internationals at Twickenham [against Canada, South Africa and Australia] next month," says The Guardian, "after learning that he will be out of action for up to six weeks." "Although Wilkinson has yet to be written out definitively," says The Times, "the bulletin issued by Newcastle Falcons left little room for manoeuvre. They will rest their fly half for the next few weeks so that he can recover in full from an upper-arm injury that has recurred in his past two games." But while Wilkinson is likely to be "feeling desolate", says Chris Hewett in The Independent, it`s not the first time he has been incapacitated by a long-term injury. "Jonny has enormous reserves of mental strength, far greater than most international players," reckons Phil Larder, England`s defensive coach, praising the fly-half`s bouncebackability, "and he`ll come through this." Meanwhile, Sir Clive Woodward says the England World Cup winners Lawrence Dallaglio, Martin Johnson, Neil Back and Bryan Redpath, who have since retired from international rugby, are unlikely to figure in the British Lions squad. [... more]

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