Wilkinson is helped from the field after suffering his latest injury © Getty Images

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Tournaments/Tours: Guinness Premiership

Teams: England

England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson has revealed he expects to be out of action for at least another five months.

Wilkinson has undergone surgery after dislocating his knee last week but there were reports suggesting he could be back in action early next year. The news is a huge blow for the injury-plagued 29-year-old and puts his participation in next year's Six Nations Championship and British and Irish Lions tour in doubt.

Wilkinson wrote in his column in The Times, "I saw my knee specialist yesterday and he confirmed that the recovery time for my left knee is likely to be five months. It is no secret that this does not augur well for my hopes for England, or the Lions later in the summer, but, as is my way, I will not rule anything out. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen, but it will have been worth striving for."

The Newcastle star has suffered a multitude of problems since his heroics in helping England win the World Cup in 2003. Wilkinson's good form in the early part of this season had offered great hope of an international future and he insists his career is far from over despite admitting his latest setback is his worst yet.

"But England now - and the Lions even more so - is no longer on my radar. They might be huge, long-term targets but they are not my focus. My thought process is instead tied up with getting fit and playing again for Newcastle, and then we'll go from there," he said.

"I'll just nail one thing, though: the idea that this might be the end of my playing career. Forget it. It's not a consideration. When I did the knee, against Gloucester last week, I was actually quite positive and thinking it would be just one month. Obviously it didn't quite pan out that way, but I have no doubt that I'll be back."

He added: "For starters, this is the most debilitating injury I've had and the most painful post-surgery, too. Rehabilitating from the operation on my neck in 2004 was very tough and on my shoulder this summer made it hard to sleep, and I've had other knee problems before, but I've never had to move so slowly and cautiously and I've always had enough movement, even when on crutches, to carry things with me.

Wilkinson also revealed the reason why initial reports about his likely return were sadly off the mark.

"I had the surgery last Friday and the medics were pleased with the way it went. Unfortunately, we found that when the cartilage had torn away from the bone, it had no shards of bone attached to it. If a small piece of the bone comes away, too, it helps it to resettle and bond. That is why I am now looking at five months rather than four. And in a couple of months I'll need keyhole surgery to see how it has taken."

Jonny Wilkinson Injury Factfile

2002: May - Suffers ankle ligament damage in Newcastle's defeat by Gloucester, ruling him out for the rest of the season.

2003: December 13 - Newcastle confirm Wilkinson has fractured a facet in his shoulder - known as a 'stinger'. Falcons predict an absence of two to three weeks.

December 28 - Suffers a recurrence of his shoulder injury and has to come off during Newcastle's win over Northampton.

2004: February - Ruled out of Six Nations after shoulder operation.

October - Ruled out for up to six weeks with a haematoma in the upper right arm and has to stand down as England captain for autumn Tests.

2005: January - Suffers knee ligament damage in Newcastle's Heineken Cup defeat in Perpignan.

March - Suffers medial ligament damage on Newcastle comeback against Harlequins.

July - Suffers shoulder injury in British and Irish Lions' second Test defeat in New Zealand and misses third match.

September - Ruled out of early season action after undergoing an appendix operation.

November - Has a major operation for related groin problems.

2006: January - Suffers a torn adductor muscle.

September - Forced off with a knee ligament injury during Newcastle's home game against Worcester, effectively ending his hopes of playing in the autumn Tests.

November - Makes comeback for Newcastle against Bristol but suffers kidney damage and requires one month's rest.

2007: September - Suffers fresh injury blow as a twisted ankle in training rules him out of England World Cup opener against USA.

2008: May - Undergoes shoulder surgery which keeps him out of England's summer tour of New Zealand.

October - Undergoes surgery after dislocating left kneecap in match against Gloucester and is ruled out for five months.