Paul Hayward salutes the return to fitness of England's talismanic fly-half Jonny Wilkinson in The Observer.
"Jonny Wilkinson in his wilderness years tried to escape the daily crucifixion of self-analysis and perfectionism. Injured, he sought fun and peace. Then his body was fixed at last after 13 injuries and rugby came home to him. The stream of consciousness has come back too but without the old dark intent.
"England's squad for the autumn internationals against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand is packed with forgotten men, called up to replace the 13 now missing from Martin Johnson's original 32-strong mob. In the midst of this chaos stands Wilkinson, tanned and fit, 20 months after he last wore an England shirt, as a replacement in the final 2008 Six Nations fixture, against Ireland when the gadabout Danny Cipriani was being groomed to take his place.
"Johnson's gang are horribly depleted, especially at prop and No8, yet a world-class talent has returned from the wasteland of perpetual damage to confront the team he tortured in Sydney in the 2003 World Cup final. Australia, you would think, will not care who is missing from England's front row. But they will curse medical science for restoring Wilkinson, at 30, to win his 71st cap on Saturday in a side for whom he has struck 1,032 points."
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