Johno's World Cup re-union

Thompson: out of the wilderness

He has just been Jonny Wilkinson and gets on with what he does. He does it very well.

Martin Johnson
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Jonny Wilkinson and Steve Thompson have been re-united in an England team for the first time since the 2003 World Cup final and manager Martin Johnson is delighted to have the two veterans back in the fold.

Thompson retired in April 2007 after a neck operation, but the 31-year-old former Northampton hooker returned months later to play for Brive, having initially joined the French club in a coaching role.

Such was Thompson's commitment to returning as a player, he re-paid a £500,000 insurance payout to pull on a rugby shirt again

He did make a brief England return with an appearance off the bench in June's 37-15 win over Argentina, but Saturday's Test against the Wallabies wil be his first start since 2006.

"It is some comeback," Johnson told Sky Sports News. "My sense of it is that he retired from the game and probably realised what he was missing and had the desire to come back.

"He got himself into shape and has played pretty well and worked very hard and he has been fantastic with us this last 10 days, as he was in the summer. It is good to have that experience with the younger guys as well."

Fly-half Wilkinson, 30, - also now playing his club rugby in France, for Toulon - returns for his first appearance since the 2008 Six Nations, as does flanker Lewis Moody as part of an all-Leicester back row.

Johnson added: "He has just been Jonny Wilkinson and gets on with what he does. He does it very well.

"His leadership in the group has been fantastic - his communication with the players, particularly the younger players and what he brings.

"These guys have seen what he's done over the last 10 years playing for England and it is a tremendous amount."

Big future

Johnson has included 20-year-old Northampton forward Courtney Lawes among the replacements, and believes the 6ft7in youngster, who can play in either the back or second row, has a big future at international level.

He said: "He can have an impact carrying the ball, he can have an impact defensively, his set-piece work is good.

"He's 20 years old and he has got a huge amount of potential to get even better. But we have put him on the bench to give him the opportunity to come off and make an impact for us if we think the time is right."