Wilkinson injury 'not serious'

[Danny]

Brachial plexus 'stinger' shoulder injury. Had multiple episodes after tackles which took time to settle. 50/50 for the weekend.

Wilkinson injury 'not serious'
Sunday, July 3, 2005
Rugby Heaven

British and Irish Lions five-eighth Jonny Wilkinson has escaped serious injury despite being forced off during the second rugby Test against the All Blacks last night.

The All Blacks won 48-18 to wrap up the three-Test series 2-0, with the final Test to be played next Saturday.

Lions coach Clive Woodward allayed fears Wilkinson had re-injured his troublesome right shoulder after he left the field with 20 minutes remaining.

Woodward said the injury was a "stinger" which caused numbness in his shoulder after he attempted a tackle.

"He's very stiff but physically okay. It's just a really bad hit to his shoulder but he's okay," Woodward said.

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Woodward said Wilkinson had a "tremendous game on attack and defence".

Meanwhile, victorious All Blacks coach Graham Henry said inside centre Aaron Mauger had a hamstring injury and standout five-eighth Daniel Carter a shoulder injury which would both be reassessed today.

New Zealand won the first Test 21-3 last week.

[Danny]

I'm still Test chance: Wilko
From correspondents in London
July 4, 2005
FOXSPORTS

INJURED Jonny Wilkinson has not ruled himself out of the British and Irish Lions' Third and final Test with New Zealand on Saturday.

The English fly-half was substituted midway through the second-half of Saturday's 48-18 loss in Wellington after injuring his neck and shoulder.

Although Wilkinson was cleared of serious injury, coach Sir Clive Woodward said there are doubts about him playing in the final Test at Eden Park.

But in a column for The Times in London. Wilkinson wrote: "When I woke yesterday (Sunday) morning, I felt better than I thought I would because after the match I was unable to move much at all. So the injury has improved with time.

"As much as it is bad to say that I am used to these, it is also true that I am used to recovering from them. That is why I haven't ruled anything out. I'll take it day by day and go by the physio's advice," he added.

Wilkinson has been plagued with injuries that have required surgery since the 2003 World Cup final.

He was substituted on Saturday after injuring his neck and shoulder in an attempted tackle on All Blacks skipper Tana Umaga. and then received a second "stinger" when he was later hit on the head in a mistimed tackle on fly-half Daniel Carter.

"The reason the injury is not as worrying as it might have been is because the 'stinger' ... went down my left arm," he said.

"Had it been my right arm, the side that I injured so badly 18 months ago that I needed surgery, I really would be concerned."

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Wilkinson, desperate to make the final Test, knows the players have one more chance to leave "some kind of mark of ourselves on this tour and on Lions history.

"The series is gone but I cannot understate the collective feeling and will among this group of players that we take away something concrete from this tour, something we can be proud of.

"Whether I can play any part in this, I don't know. After the two knocks I sustained ... on Saturday, it could be a lot worse so I'm actually quite relieved.

"We've got one more chance to be involved in something great. It's so important to us. We cannot stand the thought of leaving things like this," he added.

With New Zealand having won the series, assistant coach Ian McGeechan said the Lions want to wait until after tomorrow's match with Auckland before announcing their Test team.