Every new national coach enjoys catching opponents unawares and Brian Ashton is no exception. When he names his first England team on Monday there is every chance he will replace two-thirds of the starting XV he inherited from Andy Robinson - and a recall to the match-day squad for Jonny Wilkinson is also under serious consideration.
It is now a total of three years, two months and four days since Wilkinson last wore an England jersey in the 2003 World Cup final, and only 48 hours since Ashton suggested the Newcastle fly-half would be judged on form before being welcomed back. However, Wilkinson's input at this week's England training camp so hugely impressed both management and team-mates that a Six Nations return may yet materialise sooner than anticipated if he catches the eye at Leicester tomorrow.
Many outside the inner sanctum will find it hard to believe England are even contemplating selecting a player who has not played since lacerating a kidney in a Premiership game against Bristol in early November. Lest it be forgotten, he has started only three games in total this season after a succession of injuries to assorted parts of his anatomy.
But Ashton would scarcely have named Wilkinson in a slimmed-down squad of 29 yesterday if he was worried about his fitness, even if Newcastle are unlikely to field their most famous fly-half for more than 40 minutes as a second-half replacement at Welford Road.
The Falcons' coach John Fletcher also confirmed that Wilkinson is looking good. "In terms of his injury and his fitness, there is not a problem," he said. "It is just a case of whether he has done enough collision and contact work to be thrown into a game. He has trained with England this week without any problems. We will give him a bit more contact work before the weekend and, if he comes through, the chances are that he will be on the bench and will come on at some point."
It may be that Ashton simply wants Wilkinson to train with the squad next week and will save him for Italy or Ireland. Either way, he insists the 27-year-old has a unique ability to make a seamless transition from gym to pitch and he has pointedly declined to rule him out of Six Nations contention. If all goes well against the Tigers, insiders believe Ashton will be tempted to sit Wilkinson down and ask him if he feels ready to resume a Test career which, so far, has yielded a staggering 864 points in 57 Tests for England.
In that event Wilkinson will bite his hand off, fully aware his assorted injuries have all come in a Newcastle shirt. Since recovering from neck and shoulder surgery in 2004, he has been sidelined by injuries to a bicep, both knees and his left shoulder, as well as a hernia of the groin and an operation to remove his appendix. His longest unbroken run at club level without injury since December 2003 has been 10 games. Surrounded by better players with England, there is an argument he might be less vulnerable.
From Ashton's point of view, Wilkinson's return would also be wonderfully timed. In a perfect world he envisages Wilkinson and Andy Farrell running the show for England at Nos 10 and 12 - and Farrell, finally, is ready for action. Toby Flood, also of Newcastle, and London Irish's Shane Geraghty are both promising talents - Geraghty is even rated by some within the England squad as the more gifted player of the two - but are not yet at the stage of terrifying Test defences. "It is up to Brian Ashton and his coaches," shrugged Fletcher yesterday. "What Jonny needs at the moment is game time and if that then leads to international involvement, so be it."
The flip side, of course, is the risk of rushing Wilkinson back prematurely and increasing the chance, heaven forbid, of another long-term injury. Test rugby has grown even more intense since he has been away and is no place for the vulnerable, which is why Ashton looks set to plump for experience against Scotland tomorrow week.
With Mark Cueto formally ruled out along with Paul Sackey, the back three looks certain to consist of Iain Balshaw, Josh Lewsey and Jason Robinson. Mike Tindall has every chance of partnering Farrell in midfield, Harry Ellis is poised for a recall at scrum-half and Steve Thompson and Danny Grewcock are likely to stiffen the front five. The back row is still under debate, although Bristol's Dan Ward-Smith looks certain to win a first cap, either in the starting XV or off the bench. Shaun Perry and Alex Brown, meanwhile, have been relegated to the Saxons squad to face Italy A in Exeter next Friday. Between now and then Ashton has a significantly bigger decision to make.
