All Blacks: Battle of the perfect tens

Jonny Wilkinson tackles Dan Carter in 2005. Photo / Chris Skelton

The All Blacks see the threat level posed by England as having risen significantly following Jonny Wilkinson's outstanding return to test football.

This time last year, England were in disarray. Now they have a general; a director; a player who could hurt the All Blacks.

Sunday's test at Twickenham has taken on a whole new dimension. It will be the first time Wilkinson and Daniel Carter have clashed since the second British Lions test in July, 2005. That night indisputably belonged to Carter.

It was his coronation as the king of first fives. He scored 33 points and famously stepped past Wilkinson as if he wasn't there early in the second half. It was an act that said Carter was the man on the rise and it was an act that also saw Wilkinson damage his shoulder and leave the field to begin yet another series of endless injuries.

While Carter held his position as the world's best first five in the intervening years, Wilkinson's career went on hold. His appearance on the Lions tour was about the only meaningful rugby he played between 2003 and 2005.

He knocked over the winning dropped goal at the 2003 World Cup and disappeared for two years.

He played for the Lions - and disappeared for two years with yet more injury.

He returned just in time to kick England to the final of the World Cup and then disappeared again.

Like clockwork, almost two years since his last England appearance, he has emerged again and is expected to make a serious play for Carter's crown at Twickenham.

"He looked good," was All Black assistant coach Wayne Smith's assessment of Wilkinson's test return against Australia. "I had heard he had been playing well for Toulon. He looked composed, he was very good defensively as always. So Jonny is back. I am not surprised, given the character. He's got huge character."

No one can doubt the mental strength of Wilkinson; of just what it has taken to haul himself off the canvas as many times as he has in the last six years.

But having been ravaged the way he has; having missed so much football, is he really capable of usurping Carter as the best No 10 in the world?

The English press certainly thought so after the Wallaby test. Former English midfielder Mike Catt wrote in his column for the Daily Telegraph: "Jonny was phenomenal. Has he really been away from international rugby for 18 months?