Wilkinson ready for a battle

Wilkinson has acknowledged that being the drop-goal hero of England's 2003 World Cup final triumph does not give him a divine right to a starting place in the Lions Test team for this summer's New Zealand tour.

''It wouldn't sit easily with me to think that I'm there because 18 months ago England won the World Cup and I was the one who kicked the last ball over,'' he said.

''But if I'm not good enough to be in the team for the Lions, I'm sure I won't be picked.

''I will be very, very disappointed if I don't make it but either way I will do everything I can to help.''

Wilkinson watched on earlier this year as Jones enhanced his reputation in a revitalised Welsh side, while he was struggling to overcome a series of injuries.

''The guys on the tour are all fantastic and Stephen Jones is a great player, to name one. They have just won the Grand Slam so I have a huge amount of respect for the guy,'' Wilkinson added.

''I'm more than happy there are players like Stephen Jones out there. It bodes well for the tour.''

Wilkinson is ''fresh'' and up for the challenge after the frustrations caused by the neck, arm and knee injuries which have blighted - and threatened - his career since the World Cup.

He admitted fearing for his future at one stage, but the determination and hard work which enabled the 25-year-old to become the world's leading goalkicking fly-half saw him through.

Pinpointing ''the time when I wasn't regaining any strength in my right arm and was told it might not come back'' as the lowest point, he revealed: ''I just kept going to the gym every morning hoping it would come back and it did.''

Despite not being named in Sir Clive Woodward's original squad of 44, Wilkinson finally realised he had a serious chance of making the trip when he completed his first full match back for Newcastle Falcons, against Northampton, after his latest lay-off.

''That was a big barrier for me. It was a real tell-tale sign that I was able to get through a game,'' he explained.

''But making the tour wasn't my decision and I found it quite difficult to understand why people could think that I could sit here and say whether I wanted to go on the Lions or not.

''I obviously hoped to go but it was up to Sir Clive Woodward to decide whether I'm worthy of being in that squad.''

Wilkinson is now happy to leave it up to Woodward to decide if he is ready for a Test team place.

''It's just the start of the job getting on the tour, the main bulk of it has still to be done,'' he said.

''Being competitive and constantly wanting to succeed and be your best, it doesn't seem quite right being a late addition, but some things are out of your control, like some of the injuries which have been difficult to take.

''I don't like to be a last-minute addition or an after-thought, but this year that's been forced on me and I've now got to look to myself to try and prove to those who supported me to try me.''

Quizzed about his Test chances at the London Stock Exchange, where his role as a brand ambassador for his new sponsors Travelex was announced yesterday, he replied: ''That remains to be seen.

''I can't have any preconceived ideas about who's where.

''It's about me getting out there and doing my best to help the squad in any way if I'm involved in the Tests or in a non-Test playing sense.

''Everyone has a huge part to play out there.''

Despite his new deal, Wilkinson will continue to insist that nothing gets in the way of his dedication to practice.

He outlined the 'mission statement' adopted by family and advisers from the very beginning, adding: ''If a kicking session had to be cut because of an off-field arrangement, then the off-field arrangement would get a call saying 'sorry'.

''The rugby has always come first.''

That approach will continue in New Zealand as he pursues his Lions dream which, he insists, would match England's World Cup triumph in terms of achievement.

''It would rank right at the top,'' he added, ''alongside winning the World Cup.''