Bates tips Wilkinson to star at Kingsholm

10:35am Tuesday 30th September 2008

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HAVING watched Jonny Wilkinson become the leading Premiership points scorer of all time on Friday night, Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Steve Bates has tipped his “amazing” fly-half to continue his fine run of form at Gloucester this evening.

Wilkinson will be back in action at Kingsholm as Newcastle play the second leg of a run of three matches in just seven days, with his sevenpoint haul in last week’s 17-3 win over Bristol having lifted the Falcons to seventh in the table.

The 29-year-old is back to something approaching his best following last season’s struggles at international level and, despite Danny Cipriani approaching full fitness following an ankle injury, Wilkinson is a near certain starter when England boss Martin Johnson selects his team for next month’s opening autumn international against the Pacific Islanders.

Johnson is expected to attend tonight’s game in the west country, and Bates is delighted to be able to call upon one of his country’s all-time greats as he looks to improve on Newcastle’s 30-point defeat in the club’s only away game this season.

“Jonny is just amazing,”

said the Falcons boss. “To achieve the milestone of being the top scorer in the history of the competition is phenomenal, but doubly so if you consider how many games he has missed over the past five years.

“It really is an incredible achievement, although we would expect nothing less given the high standards he sets himself every single day in training.

“We expect good things every time Jonny goes out on to the pitch, and he doesn’t let us down.”

He might struggle to inspire Newcastle to a victory tonight, though, despite Gloucester’s slow start to the current campaign.

Newcastle have only claimed one Premiership away win since November 2006 - a 22-19 victory over Saracens last December - while Gloucester have lost just one of the clubs’ last nine encounters in the league.

Factor in the fact that the Falcons are embarking on a week-long road trip that will also see them take on Newport Gwent Dragons in the EDF Energy Cup on Friday night, and you have the ingredients for a potentially difficult week.

“This week represents somewhat of a mini-tour because we’ll be on the road for five days,” said Bates. “Having been in action on Friday, our players are showing enormous character in putting their hands up for selection just four days after a bruising encounter with Bristol.

“Such a short turnaround poses enormous challenges in terms of not having any time to train with the players.”

Bates has made three changes to the side that beat Bristol last week, with Ollie Phillips coming in to the side to replace injured winger John Rudd. Rudd picked up a knock as he scored a try in Friday night’s victory.

Hall Charlton will start at scrum-half in place of James Grindal, while Micky Ward comes in at loose-head prop as Joe McDonnell is relegated to the bench.

Newcastle: Jones, Visser, Noon, May, Phillips, Wilkinson, Charlton; Ward, Thompson, Hayman, Perry, Sorenson, Balding, Williamson, Dowson.