JONNY Wilkinson will not bring the curtain down on his phenomenal international career by playing in this summer’s Lions tour of Australia; that’s according to fellow World Cup winner Will Greenwood.

The former Newcastle Falcon is the iconic figure of English rugby in the last 25 years – drop-kicking Sir Clive Woodward’s men to World Cup glory in 2003, while also playing at the 1999, 2007 and 2011 tournaments. He remains England’s highest points scorer in international rugby.

After 91 international caps – 67 of those resulted in victories for England – Wilkinson called time on his international career after the 2011 World Cup.

After 12 seasons at the Newcastle Falcons a move to France and the Top 15 with Toulon in 2009 reinvigorated his career and his appalling injury record.

Wilkinson is still firstchoice for Toulon, still involved in the knockout stages of this year’s Heineken Cup, and is regarded by many as still very much international class.

But Greenwood, who ranks Wilkinson as the best fly-half of his generation, believes the form of three young No 10’s in this year’s Six Nations – Dan Biggar of Wales, Jonny Sexton of Ireland and Owen Farrell of England – has effectively ended his former colleague’s hopes of one last hurrah Down Under.

“I don’t think that Jonny Wilkinson goes on this Lions tour,” said Greenwood, who is a J.P Morgan Premiership Rugby 7s ambassador for 2013.

“It’s a very big call because he is still such a good player but I think Warren Gatland (Lions boss) will look elsewhere.

“It’s a tough one, this is a man I stood with in the trenches, and I would go to war with that guy – he was that good a player and that big an influence on his teammates.

“But I think Jonny Sexton, Owen Farrell and Dan Biggar are probably going to be ahead of him now. They’ve enjoyed the extra exposure and competition of a Six Nations.

I think that will count against Jonny Wilkinson unfortunately.

“Biggar’s form has been impressive for Wales, particularly at the end of the tournament against England at the Millennium Stadium and that might be what costs Jonny his chance.

“It’s such a tough one, it really is, but this is a Lions tour and you have to make big calls in every position. It’s about form here and now – not what someone has done previously.”

Greenwood, who formed a star-studded back-line with Wilkinson, Jason Robinson, Josh Lewsey, Mike Tindall, Matt Dawson and Ben Cohen in 2003, feels Gatland will now fill his squad with Welsh internationals following England’s capitulation at the Millennium Stadium in their Grand Slam decider.

The only outside chance Wilkinson has of touring with the Lions is the X-Factor he holds over Australian opposition, media and supporters alike.

Like Ian Botham on the cricket field in the 1970s and 80s for England against Australia, the sight of Wilkinson stepping off the replacements’ bench is certain to strike fear into the opposition Down Under, while he still remains deadly when kicking at goal.

While Gatland is likely to have a strong Welsh flavour to proceedings in Australia, historically England are the only Northern Hemisphere side to regularly beat the likes of South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

While England defeated the All Blacks during the autumn internationals, for a third consecutive time in 2012, Wales ran Australia so close but fell at the final hurdle.

“When did Wales last beat a Southern Hemisphere team?’’ asked Greenwood.

“Three tests last summer, they had it and should have won all of them, and back at the Millennium Stadium in the autumn once again they couldn’t finish Australia off.

“But however patriotic you can be, do not dispense with the English boys when you consider what they did to an All Blacks team that had won 18 on the spin.

“And that’s also the reason why Jonny Wilkinson can’t completely be ignored – he has terrorised Australia for so many years and few would bet against him doing it one last time.

“And for that reason I think, and hope, that a lot of English guys will travel on this tour but in terms of the Test jersey it has to be dominated by Wales.

“It’s such a fickle nature but this is sport, you’re only as good as your last game.

“When you look at the team selection Gatland has to be thinking, ‘what’s the ultimate cauldron that I have seen these guys in this year?’ The answer is definitely last weekend at the Millennium Stadium.

“The chips were down, it was a huge opportunity for England to win the Grand Slam and on top of that put a real marker down to Australia.

“If they’d won that game all 15 of them would have been on the plane to Australia, plus possibly Jonny Wilkinson – instead England lose and Gatland has to have a look again.

Now all of a sudden you go through the Welsh side and you have to think about who out of that team is not going on the Lions tour?”