Jonny Wilkinson's injury curse struck again on Tuesday when the England World Cup-winning flyhalf was carried off during his club Newcastle's 23-39 Guinness Premiership defeat at Gloucester.

The 29-year-old, who hardly played between the 2003 and 2007 World Cups, only returned from a six-month lay-off this month following shoulder surgery.

The latest injury is to his knee, which he appeared to twist at a ruck.

The setback could leave Wilkinson doubtful for England's November Test series, which begins against the Pacific Islanders in just over five weeks time and also features clashes with South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Ironically, an injury to Wilkinson could make life easier for England's head coach Martin Johnson, who looks set to have 20-year-old Danny Cipriani available to him in November.

Cipriani is due to make his earlier-than-expected comeback from a serious ankle injury on Wednesday, when his club Wasps face Bath.

But Wilkinson's heir apparent cannot be called into the England squad unless someone is injured or suspended as he was left out of a 32-man elite squad named by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) back in July.

At the time, it was anticipated that Cipriani would not be back in action before mid-November and he was effectively ruled out of the November series.

Cipriani, given his long-term injury absence, was selected among the second-tier England Saxons squad.

Wilkinson's lengthy list of injuries include a shoulder injury in 2003, which ruled him out of the 2004 Six Nations after it required surgery, a haematoma in the upper right arm in 2004, knee ligament damage in January 2005 and March 2005, along with a shoulder injury during the British and Irish Lions' tour of New Zealand in 2005, an appendix surgery in 2005, and major surgery for related groin problems in 2005, a torn adductor muscle in 2006, a knee ligament injury in 2006, kidney damage in 2006, a twisted ankle in 2007 and shoulder surgery earlier this year.

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