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Johnson banking on JPW

England Team Manager Martin Johnson insists Jonny Wilkinson is fit and raring to go after earning his call into this season's Elite Player Squad.

Wilkinson has not played for ten months after dislocating his kneecap back in September 2008 while playing for former club Newcastle.

Since then the playmaker has moved to Toulon and this month was included in the 32-man squad for the 2009/10 international campaign.

And Johnson is confident that his World Cup-winning team-mate can now recapture his best form and remains hopeful of the fly-half staying fit.

"He is a world-class player," Johnson said.

"He was in here for a fitness assessment last week and he's in good nick. He's training fully and is raring to go.

"There are no assurances but nobody works harder than him on rehab and conditioning. Now he just needs to get out on the field and play."

Wilkinson will fight it out with Toby Flood for the England number ten jersey, with Danny Cipriani having been dropped to the Saxons squad.

However, Johnson has insisted that the demotion of Cipriani was purely down to form, rather than suggestions the youngster has an attitude problem.

"We picked him in the autumn, based on the previous year with England. Did he struggle, did the team struggle? Yes," said the boss.

"But he's a talented player and is now battling to get back into the squad."