Mamma Mia! That was so close, Jonny

This time they escaped with a win but not before Italy gave them a mighty scare, England scraping home 23-19 after Wilkinson's replacement, Danny Cipriani, had given away a try within minutes of appearing late in the second half.

Swap: Whizkid Cipriani on for legend Wilkinson

His kick was charged down, leaving the former World Cup holders hanging on to avoid the embarrassment of losing to Italy for the first time.

Head coach Brian Ashton had warned that he was ready to withdraw Wilkinson if he felt the match demanded it.

"It was always my intention to give Danny some game time at No.10," said Ashton. "It was a question of getting him on the field at the right time.

Substitutes are there to be used whenever you feel necessary. I have total trust in the 22 players in the squad to make positive contributions.

"There is no doubt we have two pretty good No.10s. I thought Jonny did pretty well. Danny is a very talented player, who I think has a long and successful international career in front of him."

Ironically, England would have lost without Wilkinson, who made the first try, had a hand in the second and kicked all five goals. For good measure, he also raised 1,000 points for England in the process, joining Welshman Neil Jenkins as the only other player in history to reach four figures for his country.

"It's not so much the fact that I have that number of points, but that I have been around long enough to do it," said Wilkinson, whose 67-Test career began 10 years ago.

"A lot of people have helped me to get through some difficult times and allowed me to do what I want to do. I am living my dream, doing something I love. A lot of people cannot do that, so I am extremely lucky."

On being taken off, he said: "I took it to mean that my job on the field was done. Maybe somebody thought I needed to rest the old legs.

"When you are substituted for a guy of 20 years old with a future, then it's symbolic, isn't it?"

Then he added with a grin: "I am on the way out — maybe."