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Wilkinson upbeat over fitness

ENGLAND: Jonny Wilkinson yesterday insisted he will be fit for England’s first Test against Australia in Perth on June 12th.

The Toulon outhalf suffered rib damage in the Amlin Challenge Cup final and had been advised by club medics to avoid all contact training until just three days before the game.

But Wilkinson, who has not played in Australia since dropping the goal that won England the 2003 Rugby World Cup, is chomping at the bit for a swift return to action. “Injury-wise I’m fine,” Wilkinson said after England’s 44-man squad arrived in Perth. “I took a knock in the back in our last game of the season.

“I’ve already had a week (without contact work) and I’m being held back by the physios rather than anything else at the moment. I want to get out there, but they are telling me to take a few more days.

“It’s nice to be here with easily enough time to get ready to be on the training field at the same time as everyone else.”

Despite Wilkinson’s eagerness, England coach Martin Johnson suggested he would be held back from next Tuesday’s tour-opener against the Australian Barbarians.

Johnson wants to use the five-match tour – two Tests against the Wallabies, two dates with the Barbarians and a clash with the New Zealand Maori in the space of 16 days – as a launchpad for England’s World Cup campaign.

James withdrawn from SA line-up

SOUTH AFRICA: Bath back Butch James has been formally withdrawn from South Africa’s line-up for their clash against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday. James had been due to feature at inside centre, but English clubs are not obliged to release players for a match that falls outside the recognised IRB June playing window.

Premier Rugby, the umbrella organisation for England’s Premiership clubs, has a blanket policy of not releasing players for Tests not governed by the IRB’s regulation on player release.

Two players – fullback Zane Kirchner and lock Victor Matfield – will join the Springboks squad today as respective replacements for James and Andries Bekker. Bekker has a foot injury and is out of the Wales tie, meaning a likely place in the match-day 22 for world star Matfield, who helped the Bulls retain their Super 14 crown with victory over the Stormers last Saturday.

James has not played a Test since 2008, and he misses a chance to stake a claim for World Cup recognition next year.

Deans swayed by Beale court date

AUSTRALIA: Coach Robbie Deans admits Kurtley Beale’s pending court appearance influenced the selectors’ decision to hand the talented utility his first Test start against Fiji in Canberra on Saturday.

Beale will appear in Mt Druitt local court on Monday to answer a common assault charge stemming from an alleged incident at a family gathering last July.

The 21-year-old, who earned his Test debut off the bench against Wales last November, was named at fullback in a new-look Wallabies backline on Tuesday.

The Waratahs star was among the form players late on in the Super 14 competition.

But Deans revealed form was not the only reason for his inclusion in the Test team, with his pending court appearance making it virtually impossible for Beale to line up for the second string Australian Barbarians in next Tuesday’s clash against England in Perth.

“Kurtley’s got a court case next Monday . . . and we were keen to get him under way and that was going to make it difficult in terms of the Tuesday fixture,” Deans explained.

“So we made the conscious decision to give him a start which he’s earned through his performances.”