Wilkinson faces up to 12 weeks on sidelines

Someone up there must surely have scripted it. Just as Danny Cipriani, England's young prince of an outside-half, was returning to centre-stage yesterday, Jonny Wilkinson, the battle-scarred old king, was exiting stage left, suffering from his latest encounter with the slings and arrows of outrageously cruel fortune.

The Newcastle No 10 has been struck by so many fateful blows in the past five years it seems the drop goal he executed to win the Webb Ellis Cup in November 2003 must have downed an albatross somewhere between leaving his right boot and landing on Antipodean terra firma.

The latest wound, inflicted while Wilkinson was being cleared out of a ruck 25 minutes into his club's 39-23 Guinness Premiership defeat at Gloucester on Tuesday night, was confirmed after a scan yesterday as a dislocation of the left knee. Further specialist advice was being sought before an estimation of rehabilitation time could be made but three months would seem likely.

Certainly, there seems little prospect of the 29-year-old adding to his tally of 70 England caps in the autumn internationals next month. All of a sudden, England are forced to keep their fingers crossed that Cipriani will regain his match-fitness and match-winning form before the quartet of Twickenham fixtures – starting with the visit of the Pacific Islands on 8 November, followed by the southern hemisphere heavyweights of Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

A Rugby Football Union statement said yesterday: "The England coaching and medical teams are in close contact with Newcastle regarding Jonny Wilkinson. A further comment will be made after they receive the results of a specialist's review of his injured left knee."

As for Wilkinson, the poor fellow can only curse his ill fortune as he contemplates another prolonged spell on the sidelines. He has now suffered 15 injuries or illnesses of note since returning from the 2003 World Cup. Remarkably, given his comprehensive catalogue of medical problems, a dislocated knee is a first for him. He has had three major injuries before, but all three were ligament damage.

He was out for two months from January 2005, then a month from March of the same year and for three months from September 2006. Further examination will be required to discover the extent of any ligament or tissue damage this time.

"It is obviously disappointing for Jonny to receive an injury just when he was back playing fantastic rugby," Steve Bates, Newcastle Falcons' director of rugby, said yesterday, "but he has enormous strength of character and I am sure he will come back stronger despite this blow."

The frustration for both Wilkinson and Newcastle is that he has been in such fine form in recent weeks, since returning to the competitive fray following the summer shoulder operation that ruled him out of England's end-of-season tour to New Zealand. He has guided his club to potentially vital home victories against Northampton and Bristol and has yet to miss a kick at goal. Now, it seems, the Falcons must pin their No 10 shirt on the fledgling Rory Clegg, the England Under-18 team fly-half of last season – and a possible contender for the World Cups of 2015 and 2019.

One of those tournaments could feature games 120 miles up the A1 from Kingston Park at Murrayfield – the Scottish Rugby Union having yesterday thrown their weight behind a joint bid with England, Ireland and Wales. "We believe that a four home unions bid would make a compelling proposition for world rugby," Gordon McKie, the chief executive of the Scottish Rugby Union, said.

Scotland is one of eight countries in the running to host or co-host either event after the SRU indicated their desire to the International Rugby Board. McKie said: "Scottish Rugby is committed to ensuring that any decision it makes in respect of hosting RWC2015 and/or RWC 2019 is in the best interest of growing the game and leaving a lasting legacy for the sport in Scotland.

"We've been encouraged by the support to date which is being shown by the Scottish government and other public sector partners, and over the coming months we will be conducting a detailed evaluation of what's involved in hosting or co-hosting RWC 2015 and/or 2019."

Italy, South Africa, Australia and Japan have also confirmed they will tender for the 2015 event. Russia join the same countries, with the exception of England, in expressing interest in the 2019 tournament.

Countries now have until 8 May next year to submit their detailed tenders, before making formal presentations to IRB chiefs. The next tournament will be held in New Zealand in 2011.

South African Rugby's acting managing director, Andy Marinos, has quashed reports that the Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers, might rest leading players for next month's tour of Britain.

"One of Peter's personal managers made some casual remarks to a reporter about Peter perhaps resting players for the end of year tour," Marinos said yesterday.

"We have agreed that following a final selection meeting, the strongest possible team will be considered for the tour."

Jonny's injury jinx

2002 Damages ankle ligaments against Gloucester, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season.

2003 Fractures facet in shoulder before suffering later recurrence against Northampton.

2004 Misses Six Nations after shoulder operation. Ruled out for six weeks with a haematoma in the upper right arm.

2005 Suffers knee ligament damage against Perpignan. Medial ligament damage on comeback against Harlequins. Picks up shoulder injury in Lions' Test in New Zealand. Undergoes appendix and groin operations.

2006 Tears adductor muscle. Forced off with knee injury against Worcester. Suffers kidney damage against Bristol.

2007 Twists ankle in training ahead of World Cup opener.

2008 Undergoes shoulder surgery forcing him out of England's summer tour of New Zealand.

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