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England manager Martin Johnson is confident Jonny Wilkinson will be fit to make his first return to Australia since the 2003 Rugby World Cup triumph.
Wilkinson has been advised by Toulon club medics to avoid all contact training until three days before England’s first Test against the Wallabies after suffering rib damage.
Johnson confirmed he has no plans to use Wilkinson in a David Beckham-style cheer-leading role if the fly-half is not fit enough to compete for a Test place.
But England officials, who will fully assess Wilkinson themselves on Sunday, have no reason to doubt he will make Monday’s flight to Perth.
“To have Jonny in your squad is always a positive but if he is not fit he won’t go and he won’t play – but we are confident he is fit,” said Johnson.
“The physios are always working hard getting guys back on the field but we are confident he will be good to go. It is a muscle strain in his ribs.
“Some guys recover quicker from injuries, some are slower.”
Wilkinson was never slated to be involved at Twickenham on Sunday when England warm up for their five-match tour with a traditional fixture against the Barbarians.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.