Time for Wilkinson to shine

12 April 2012

Jonny Wilkinson has spent the best part of two weeks with his right ankle in an ice bucket but on Saturday when Wilkinson lines up at fly-half against Samoa, it is the ice in his veins which England are banking on to turn around their World Cup fortunes.

Having recovered from the sprain he suffered in England's first training session here which ruled him out of matches against the United States and South Africa, Wilkinson will start a match for the first time alongside inside centre Olly Barkley.

The 2003 World Cup star is in a bullish mood, saying: "The next few games we want to show people why we are here and what makes us international players."

Wilkinson is convinced his partnership wiht Barkley can provide the composed direction and creative spark which Brian Ashton's men have lacked so far.

He said: "Olly showed in the first game (against the USA) that he's switched on and you have now got two guys who are very much on the same wavelength.

"There is a great deal of communication benefit in two guys who are used to shouting the whole game, running meetings, bossing people around.

"It's great to be playing with Olly. Two guys, two left foots. And an understanding of when to run and when to kick.

"We've been in meetings where I'm always very quick to put my point across and often I've not had to say a thing. That's been surprising for me. We've been brought up in the same generation of rugby and we see the game very similarly."

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