But Lions coach Warren Gatland has left the door ajar for England's 2003 World Cup hero to make a surprise appearance on the tour if the 37-man squad is hit by injuries.

Gatland unveiled on Tuesday night the squad he will bring to Australia to take on the Wallabies in three Tests, aiming to avenge the 2-1 defeat of 2001.

Wilkinson was the big-name omission while Wales skipper Sam Warburton, 24, will be the youngest Lions captain in 63 years and Irish veteran Brian O'Driscoll will return after being part of the tour 12 years ago.

Wilkinson, 33, has been in outstanding form playing for Toulon in the French Top 14 competition.

Gatland spoke to Wilkinson to see if he was available, but his Toulon commitments and ageing body sealed the five-eighth's fate.

''Someone like Jonny potentially wouldn't have been available until the fourth game on tour and we've got such limited preparation … he wasn't able to be on the plane with us,'' Gatland said. ''To be honest, he said to me he's hanging on by his fingernails in terms of keeping his body together.

''We left it open and said if we did pick up an injury on tour, calling on Jonny and his experience might happen late in the tour.

''But he wasn't 100 per cent sure he could even get through some of the physical demands of a tour and training every day.''

Warburton will be joined by 14 of his Welsh teammates in their biggest representation on a Lions tour since 1977.

Gatland expects Wallabies coach Robbie Deans to pick Quade Cooper, Israel Folau and flanker George Smith.

He joked he hoped Deans left Cooper out , but expects him to be recalled.

''We [Wales] come desperately close [to the Wallabies] over the past 12 months and the law of averages [say] if the games continue to be that close it will come our way sooner or later,'' Warburton said.