The Newcastle fitness coach Steve Black last night dismissed claims that Jonny Wilkinson's career was under threat, despite confirming that the England fly-half would definitely miss the three autumn internationals while he recovers from the haematoma on his right arm.

The former England fly-half Stuart Barnes said he believed the problem was related to the neck injury which kept Wilkinson out of action for the first eight months of this year and feared the 25-year-old faced a premature end to his playing days.

"That is absolute nonsense," said Black. "Jonny picked up a haematoma in a pre-season friendly and has taken a number of knocks on the area since. It has absolutely nothing to do with his old neck problem.

"He has his arm bandaged up and has been training with me this morning. He will come back firing on all cylinders at the beginning of December, and I just laugh when I hear that he is being written off as a player. Nothing could be further from the truth."

England's head coach Andy Robinson said he hoped his captain would play some part in next month's friendly internationals at Twickenham, but Black said Wilkinson would not play for another six weeks.

"Jonny will need the full recommended rest time, but he will certainly be involved in the Six Nations," said Black. "He has been criticised for not being in form, but people have not been watching him properly: he has been the Jonny of old, but in the last month he has been playing behind a struggling pack."

Robinson will have to consider a new captain. The Bath centre Mike Tindall was appointed vice-captain earlier this month, but he has rivals in his Bath colleague Steve Borthwick and the Sale full-back Jason Robinson.