Jonny tells of agony on the sidelines

"After my original neck injury a lot of people told me it was the best thing that could have happened as it gave me time to come down to earth after the World Cup," he said. "I probably agreed with them because I needed time by myself. When I suffered my second injury I was ready to inflict some physical damage on them."

Wilkinson also revealed that he thought his career might be over when he sustained the knee injury that has sidelined him for the last two months.

He said: "I had been driven into a bit of panic by the fear that I was facing another nine months away from rugby with no guarantee of getting back at the end of it. The thought of spending yet another summer in rehab - and a British Lions summer at that - was simply too depressing to think about."

Meanwhile, English rugby chiefs will today reveal what action, if any, they are going to demand against South African referee Jonathan Kaplan, who was in charge of the controversial defeat by Ireland in Dublin on Sunday.

It is looking likely that the Rugby Football Union will not call for Kaplan to be censured, leaving the International Rugby Board to decide. "I was spot on," said Kaplan about his personal performance in the match.