The Jonny Wilkinson debate rages on. Given the same quotes this week, half the newspapers decided he was on his way back, the other half decided England’s World Cup winner was in serious dwang.
The problem is, nobody can agree just what the England flyhalf has wrong with him.
Wilkinson himself talked about ‘nerve damageâ€, others spoke of a stress fracture in the shoulder. But I have it on very good authority that Wilkinson actually broke his neck — and that X-rays showed a small crack in the C6 vertebra near the top of his spinal column. And that is a serious problem.
Vertebrae don’t heal well. They affect the nerves around them — and no matter how ready he is for next season, another big hit (he tends to tackle head first, silly boy) will result in further pain and temporary paralysis of the shoulder and arm. But what do I know?
Wilkinson said before he flew off to Singapore for a clothing company’s promotional tour: ‘One of the effects of this injury is realising how vulnerable I am.
‘I thought I was invincible and that I could play through any amount of pain. There’s been a little injury to my nerve and suddenly my whole life has changed.â€
Yes, at just 25, Wilkinson has played less than a half of rugby for England and Newcastle since his winning right-footed drop goal against Australia in the World Cup final on November 23.
Since then, England have finished third in the Six Nations and been humiliated Down Under, losing all three Tests by a margin against New Zealand (twice) and Australia.
And he admits: ‘Things have changed slightly. I’ve had to adapt. My body will probably never be the same again. I realise how close I was to never playing again.
‘I’ve been a long time out of the game and though I’m content I can play again, I’m still not content with where I am.â€
At this stage you might be about to conjure up the headline ‘Wilkinson will never be the same againâ€.
But the Newcastle publicity machine insists: ‘Jonny has been doing everything except full contact training. We wouldn’t put him back into that. The plan is to introduce contact in the next three of four weeks to build up gradually, like anyone after a big injury.
‘Rehabilitation has taken its course and he has been comfortable with it all the way through. For the past six weeks, the medics have been happy with his progress. We are confident he will play in the first friendly against Connaght on our Irish tour on August 17.â€
So there you have it. Wilkinson will be back. But he won’t be the same again.
His booming tackles, which have caused him discomfort since his teens, may be consigned to history. He cannot afford another big hit. And it’s his boot England really rely on.
Newcastle, with Dave Walder already a proficient under-study, have signed Australian fullback Matt Burke just in case. Wilkinson may return to play alongside him. But will we see him play in the white shirt of England again? Or the red shirt of the Lions in New Zealand next season?
The jury is still out.