'Wilko has never been in better shape'

England star is finally fully fit - and in the Far East

Newcastle Falcons have revealed that they plan to field Jonny Wilkinson for their first league game of the season, and believe that the fly-half's enforced seven month lay-off has reinvigorated both his body and mind.

The England star succumbed to a long-standing neck and shoulder problem following his side's success at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

He underwent surgery in March, but his comeback date was put back several times, prompting fears that he would never again lace his boots in anger.

But Wilkinson is now ready to start full contact training, and - according to Newcastle conditioning coach Steve Black - the 25-year-old is more than ready for the challenges of a new season.

"I have been training Jonny for eight years and he has never looked in better shape," Black told the Guardian newspaper.

"I should be putting out videos on his progress for the benefit of those who doubt he will ever get back on to the field because he is in sensational condition.

"The aim is for Jonny to play our first league match against Worcester at the beginning of September and he is raring to go.

"It is the first time he has had a long break since he started playing senior rugby, and it has done him a lot of good."

But despite the fanfare of trumpets heralding Wilkinson's return to the paddock, the prodigal one is presently nowhere near a rugby field - or Newcastle.

The Falcons' pre-season schedule started on Monday, but there was no sign of Wilkinson, who was on a promotional tour of the Far East with his kit sponsors.

"If there was a game this weekend, I would put my name down," he said from Singapore.

"Now I am able to do contact work again, it is a case of making sure that I can take some hits without getting too much of a shock.

"It is just a matter of putting in work in the training field and getting the experience of contact once again. It has been a long wait, but I had to get all the movement back in my shoulder before I was allowed to do full training. I had to be patient."

Wilkinson will return to Newcastle after stop-overs in Hong Kong and Japan, and is ready to shoulder his share of work as England look to right their jack-knifed chariot.

"We are in a position where we now have to build for the next World Cup," said Wilkinson.

"We're going to learn a lot from what has happened in the last few months and develop the next time we hit the pitch."