Jonny Wilkinson has claimed it was a "fairly simple" decision to commit his immediate future to Newcastle.

And Wilkinson could celebrate a new contract at Kingston Park by reaching two career milestones during the next nine days.

Despite being heavily linked with a move away from Kingston Park, the England star has signed a new two-year deal with the Falcons.

The 2003 World Cup winner, who starts for Newcastle at Leicester on Saturday, is just nine points short of reaching 2,000 in Falcons colours.

And an 18-point haul in the Six Nations opener when Wales arrive at Twickenham on Saturday week would give him 1,000 points for England.

And the 28-year-old is in no doubt he has made the right decision to extend his 11-year spell with Newcastle because he decided to "follow my heart".

Wilkinson said: "I feel that my career at Newcastle has been time well spent, and that the next two years will be also.

"These decisions are never easy because there's a lot of great rugby being played all over the place, but for me this time it was fairly simple because I knew I had to follow my heart.

"Newcastle is where I feel I can get the best out of myself and make the biggest contribution to the team, helping the club and its other players to reach their potential."

Wilkinson revealed he had spoken to "one or two" other clubs, but was convinced that the Falcons' ambitions match his own.

He said: "I definitely feel Newcastle is a team that can compete with the best in Europe.

"I had a number of great opportunities available and I am in a very blessed position in that regard.

"There are fantastic clubs doing fantastic things all around England and Europe right now, I spoke to one or two, but ultimately it was a rugby decision and I feel Newcastle Falcons is a great club with a lot of ambition.

"It's a case of being where I feel is best, both to get the best out of myself and to make a contribution so that others can do the same and fulfil their own ambitions for the good of the team.

"Wherever I play my rugby, it will be fun, it will be challenging and it will be the best I've got.

Wilkinson's former England team-mate Lawrence Dallaglio has criticised the No 10 for his loyalty to the Falcons cause, saying that "as the best fly-half in the country he should be playing for one of the top clubs".

Wilkinson responded: "I thought it was a nice thing for Lawrence to say, in a strange sort of way, because I know he said it with my best interests at heart and that he cares about my well-being.

"He is someone I know very well having played with and against him over a number of years, and I have a huge amount of respect for the guy.

"Yes, he said what he said, but what I would maybe say in return is that if Lawrence had been at Newcastle for the same length of time that I have, if he had experienced what I have experienced here, then maybe he would see it more from my point of view.

"You could say the same vice-versa, if I had been at Wasps like 'Lol' for the last decade, but it is what it is and I didn't have any problem with him saying those things in his book. As I say, he has my best interests at heart and he's a good friend of mine, so there's no issue there at all between us."

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