Jonny Wilkinson has described his return to the England starting XV after more than three years away as akin to reaching 'the end of a long journey'.
The 27-year-old Newcastle fly-half has not started a match for his country since his match-winning appearance in the 2003 World Cup final but he was named yesterday in head coach Brian Ashton's first Test line-up for the RBS 6 Nations clash with Scotland on Saturday.
The call-up comes after just 40 minutes of action following 12 weeks out with a kidney injury, the latest in a long line of injuries suffered by Wilkinson.
But the player is now just 'desperate' to get started again.
He wrote in his column for The Times: 'I guess that I am at the end of a long journey. It's obviously not one I ever wanted to go down, getting through it was all about desire.
'But I now feel that it's the real journey that I'm at the start of, the one I've been longing for for so long.'
Wilkinson is not allowing himself to celebrate his return to the fold, which comes alongside a recall for fellow World Cup winner Jason Robinson and a debut for Rugby League convert Andy Farrell.
'I guess I just don't do enjoyment, not even today,' he added.
'But I don't want to sound downbeat about being selected to play for England - the opposite could not be more the case.'
