Jonny Wilkinson has vowed to make the British Lions tour of New Zealand in June.
”I’ll be there,” he told The Daily Mail on Monday.
Lions coach Clive Woodward has put the England flyhalf, who has not played international rugby since his drop goal gave England World Cup glory 17 months ago, on stand-by.
”I am comfortable that I have to earn the right to be in the squad. I promise people I will fight and work as hard as I can,” said the 25-year-old, capped 52 times for England.
But first he needs to get a neck injury sorted out.
He took a kick from England hooker Steve Thompson playing for Newcastle against Northampton on Friday.
”I took a bit of a hit on my head. It is just something that happens when you are getting used to things again,” he said.
The England skipper, out of commission since mid-March after suffering his second knee injury of the season, is racing to go get match-fit to catch the plane when the Lions head down under on May 25.
The Lions have a pre-tour game against Argentina in Cardiff on May 23.
Newcastle have only one league game left — against London Irish on April 30 — although they should make the early May Premiership wild-card play-offs. — Sapa-AFP