LONDON: Jonny Wilkinson ruled himself out of the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, coach Warren Gatland said after unveiling his squad yesterday.
However, the New Zealander said fly-half Wilkinson, who a decade ago kicked the match-winning drop-goal that saw England defeat Australia in a thrilling World Cup final in Sydney, could yet be called up as a replacement.
Wilkinson’s masterly display in kicking all of Toulon’s points in their 24-12 European Cup semi-final win over Saracens at Twickenham on Sunday led to renewed speculation as to whether he would be selected for a third Lions tour.
But Gatland named current England stand-off Owen Farrell and Ireland’s Jonathan Sexton as his two fly-halves -- with Wilkinson having endorsed the duo immediately after his man-of-the-match effort for Toulon at Twickenham
“He (Wilkinson) wasn’t available,” Gatland told reporters. “He said he really appreciated the call but that he was committed to Toulon and would not be able to travel with the squad.”
France’s Top 14 final takes place on the same day as the Lions play the Barbarians in a tour opener in Hong Kong on June 1 and Wilkinson, whose Toulon club are already in the semi-finals, could find himself required for the climax of the French domestic season.
Gatland, asked if he had called Wilkinson to include him in his squad, replied: “I wouldn’t have made the call otherwise. But we wanted the whole squad to be able to play in Hong Kong and he couldn’t make that commitment.”AFP
