MARK REGAN is gunning for his old World Cup team-mate Jonny Wilkinson.

Hooker Regan returns to the Bristol squad for the basement battle at Newcastle tonight.

And the veteran known globally as Ronnie warned: “Wilko is always their key man.

"Ask anyone to name a Newcastle player and they’ll name him. That’s why we have to nail him.

“We dare not let Jonny dictate the game or we won’t get our butts off the foot of the table.

“I hear he’s taken up Buddhism. It’s a free country, but I just pray he doesn’t have one of his world-class games, because the lad is exactly that, world class.”

Regan, 36, played alongside Wilko in two World Cups and has winner’s and loser’s medals to warm his imminent retirement.

But not before ensuring his beloved home-town club survive what will be a harrowing season.

He added: “It’s about belief and hard graft. We’ll need both at Kingston Park.”

Newcastle need to bounce back from Sunday’s 44-14 pasting at Saracens and head coach Steve Bates said: “Jonny led our fightback from 44-0 down, which sums up his big heart.”