Rugby: Blues' bid to sign up Wilkinson rejected

Jonny Wilkinson. Photo / Getty Images.

The Blues tried to entice Jonny Wilkinson to solve their Super 14 backline woes next season.

However, the five-eighths rebuffed the inquiries and has shifted to the Toulon club in his efforts to recapture some form and answer his ideas about making the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

"He's got two years to prepare for it with Toulon," club president Mourad Boudjellal said. "The only condition was that he would be available for England - for the tests and the training camps."

Wilkinson's enduring wish to play for England counted against him testing his talents for the Blues on the Super circuit next season.

The 29-year-old Wilkinson spent 12 years at the Newcastle club from where he won 70 England caps and led the side to their World Cup triumph in 2003. Since then he has had multiple injuries, played just 50 games for his club and has not been seen on the international stage for the last 14 months.

His departure from Newcastle has been signposted for some time and with Blues five-eighths Jimmy Gopperth reportedly set to replace him in a three-year deal, the ideas about a swap gathered some momentum.

The Blues have struggled at five-eighths again this season with Tasesa Lavea often injured and now off to Clermont while Gopperth was chosen after being rejected by the Hurricanes.

Luke McAlister and Daniel Bowden will be available next season but may be better suited to midfield roles instead of directing backline.

Some of that thinking may have persuaded the Blues to check on Wilkinson's plans even though he had not played since last September because of a knee injury and was reported to be on the verge of inking in a two year Euro 1.6m deal with Toulon.

Wilkinson's signing is the club's greatest coup since they claimed Tana Umaga as backs coach and then added Victor Matfield, Anton Oliver and George Gregan for short spells.

Had the Blues managed to contract Wilkinson, it would have followed similar hired help moves by South African and Australian sides in the Super series.

The Sharks sorted out a deal with five eighths Frederick Michalak, the Stormers picked up Tony Brown while Daniel Braid and Ben Castle were both picked by Australian sides this season.

The Blues had form. In 2002 they whistled French prop Christian Califano in to help their campaign.

Coach Peter Sloane managed to persuade the New Zealand authorities there were not enough frontline props within the franchise boundaries or on the draft list for the Blues to wage a decent campaign.

It was an indictment on the standard of props, but an expert piece of manipulation by the Blues who came up short this time on their imaginative five-eighths solution.