Rugby: Wilkinson return on cards

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 had no plans to use Wilkinson in a David Beckham-style cheer-leading role if the fly-half was not fit enough to compete for a test place.

He said England officials, who will fully assess Wilkinson today, had no reason to doubt he would make tomorrow's flight to Perth.