Wilkinson freed up for England return

JONNY WILKINSON has been cleared to join up with his England team-mates next month by his club Toulon.

Wilkinson, 30, was recalled to England’s elite 32-man squad on Tuesday for the forthcoming autumn internationals.

Coach Martin Johnson feared a backlash, however, as Wilkinson was ordered to meet up with the squad on August 9-14 – clashing with the start of Toulon’s Top-14 campaign.

But bosses of the French club insist they will allow the World Cup-winning fly-half, who signed a two-year deal at the club in May, to fulfil his international commitments.

Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal said: “We have signed a convention with the English federation. We will not oppose his presence in this training session, nor at any other. When we signed him, we knew that it could happen.”

Wilkinson has not played a competitive match since dislocating his shoulder playing for Newcastle back in October, but Boudjellal is happy to delay his eagerly-awaited debut.

“He needs to play, he knows that, and it is possible that he negotiates his presence with us,” he added.

Wilkinson joins Riki Flutey as the only France-based players in elite performance squad.