Australia legend David Campese believes England's Jonny Wilkinson will never recapture the form that made him the world's best fly-half.

Wilkinson has been dogged by a series of injuries since kicking England to victory in the 2003 World Cup and Campese is convinced his time at the top level is over.

The 29-year-old missed England's recent Tests against Australia and South Africa with a dislocated knee that will keep him out for several months and he recently conceded that a return to the England team is no longer his main aim.

Former Wallabies wing Campese gave a damning verdict on Wilkinson's career prospects, and also warned that England's search for a replacement could end in failure if they try to find a similar player.

Danny Cipriani has failed to convince as Wilkinson's successor in recent heavy defeats to Australia and South Africa at Twickenham.

"Jonny Wilkinson is finished," he told talkSPORT. "You've got to get another number 10 and treat him as he wants to play.

"Don't try to turn him into a Jonny Wilkinson because you cannot do that.

"He's not Jonny, Jonny's not playing, let the poor guy go out there. He's got his unique way of playing and he's got a different way of doing things, so let him do that and don't keep comparing him to Jonny Wilkinson every time the poor guy goes out and plays."

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