[BBC] Tuesday, 10 August, 2004, 13:11 GMT 14:11 UK Wilkinson eyes Irish return England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson is poised to make his long-awaited comeback for Newcastle in a pre-season tour of Ireland next Tuesday. The 25-year-old could play some part against Connacht in Galway, ending an eight-month absence since damaging his neck and shoulder before Christmas. "It's a relatively fresh start for me and I am starting off with a fairly blank sheet of paper," he said. "But I want to come back stronger and fitter so that I can improve." Wilkinson wants to put an emphasis on enjoying his rugby again after fearing his career might be over during his rehabilitation from surgery. "I really want to concentrate on just going out there and making the most of the time I've got," he added. "You never quite know when the finish line is for you, and for me, it could have been March this year. "I've had some great experiences and I've got some great things to say that I've been involved in, but maybe I can't say that I have smiled my way through it. "Maybe, I want to do a bit more of that. It tends to fit the formula that if you are enjoying something you are doing, then you tend to do it better." Wilkinson's last game for England was the World Cup final in November, and since then he has missed eight Test matches, of which England won only three. Their next international is against Canada at Twickenham on 13 November, and Sir Clive Woodward would hope to have Wilkinson available for selection by then. Apart from Connacht, Newcastle also have pre-season games against Munster and the Pertemps Bees before their opening Premiership match against newly-promoted Worcester on 5 September. Wilkinson has been made Newcastle's co-captain this season, alongside prop Ian Peel. --

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