ENGLAND

Injured Wilkinson to miss All Black Tests

Monday 21st April 2008

Summer Rehab: Wilkinson will sit out NZ tour

Jonny Wilkinson will undergo shoulder surgery at the end of the season and will not be available for England's two-Test summer tour of New Zealand.

The Newcastle Falcons fly-half will have an operation to repair a long-standing labral (cartilage) tear and will also miss the clash against the Barbarians at Twickenham on June 1

RFU Elite Rugby Director and Team Manager for the New Zealand tour Rob Andrew believes the decision was the correct option.

"We decided with Newcastle Falcons and Jonny that it was in his best interests to have this operation at the end of the season so that he can spend the summer rehabilitating," Andrew said.

"Of course we would have liked him to tour and we intend to take our strongest available squad, but player welfare is important and in this case it's the right call for Jonny not to go to New Zealand."