The pair spoke on the phone on Friday, five days after the stand-off suffered his latest set-back at Harlequins, a recurrence of the medial knee ligament injury that had kept him out for the previous eight weeks.

Woodward was sufficiently reassured to be confident of Wilkinson making the trip, even though the player could be worryingly short of match practice.

Unless Newcastle spring a Heineken Cup surprise on Stade Francais, or make the end-of-season play-offs, his club season could be over by April 30, meaning his only match prior to departure could be the encounter Woodward has arranged against Argentina in Cardiff on May 23.

It is a scenario reminiscent of the one that saw Lawrence Dallaglio head to Australia on Lions duty four years ago despite being plagued by a knee problem.

On that occasion, Dallaglio appeared in just one match – against New South Wales – before being forced to abandon the tour, blasting a large hole in Graham Henry’s plans for beating the Wallabies.

Woodward will be anxious to avoid a repeat but, with Wilkinson so vital to his plans, he is prepared to give the 24-year-old every opportunity of being in the squad.

“It is quite a straightforward situation,” Woodward told BBC Radio Five Live’s Sportsweek programme. “If Jonny is fit, he will go.

“I am announcing the squad on April 11 and at that point I would need to know the medical people were pretty confident he was going to be fine but other than that there is no deadline at all.

“We were all concerned at what we saw at Harlequins but I spoke to Jonny at the end of the week and he was very upbeat and confident.

“He knows he needs a few games under his belt before we go. We have the game against Argentina on May 23 and it would be nice if I could pencil Jonny, and a few other players who have been injured such as Gordon D’Arcy and Gareth Thomas, into that game.

“The whole of world rugby would like to see Jonny in New Zealand but before we leave the country I want to make sure everyone is fit.”

Given Wales’ incredible Six Nations Grand Slam, Woodward’s squad is likely to look far different to the one he would have selected only a couple of months ago.

Wales coach Mike Ruddock has admitted pinning a predicted Lions squad - containing not a single Welshman – to his side’s dressing room door prior to the tournament as part of an incredibly successful attempt to motivate his team.

And, while Woodward is refusing to abandon an expected massive English contingent – who have beaten both southern hemisphere giants in their own backyard as well as lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy – he admitted all the Welshman involved in their first clean sweep for 27 years, plus some who were not, will be considered for selection.

“Before the start of the season, people were telling me the side should be 14 Irishman and Jonny Wilkinson, now they are saying it should be 14 Welshman with Stephen Jones at fly-half and Jonny in the centres.

“What Wales have achieved over the past few weeks is terrific. A lot of those players have come through some pretty hard times over the last few years and that just makes victory that much sweeter for them.

“I am certainly getting a lot of advice from my friends in Wales now but that is what makes it such a fascinating job.

“I have seen a lot of players in red shirts playing really well and have a huge respect for one or two who weren’t playing.

“Add those to the English players who have been there and done it, the world class players from Ireland and those from Scotland who will also make the trip and we have every reason to be excited.

“Selection is fundamental to it. If I get the selection right I think we have half a chance.”