Wilkinson in line to make return at Sportsgrounds

Jonny Wilkinson is likely to make his long-awaited return from a shoulder injury at the Sportsgrounds in Galway on Tuesday, August 17th

Jonny Wilkinson is likely to make his long-awaited return from a shoulder injury at the Sportsgrounds in Galway on Tuesday, August 17th.

Connacht take on the Newcastle Falcons on the Tuesday and London Irish on the Friday in a mini-festival of rugby that should serve up some exciting early-season fare.

There should be huge media interest in the return of Wilkinson, who hasn’t played since last December due to a shoulder injury. The English rugby public cannot wait for him to return to offer some ballast to a team that has struggled badly in his absence. There’s more to their demise than Wilkinson, of course, but they would welcome his steadying influence, prodigious kicking and winning habit.

Other stars in the Newcastle ranks include Semo Sititi, Colin Charvis and Dave Walder.

London Irish’s squad will include new signings Mike Catt from Bath and Scott Staniforth from the New South Wales Waratahs. Other high profile members are Michael Horak, Paul Sackey, Kieron Dawson, Justin Bishop, Bob Casey and Declan Danaher.

The matches are likely to be notable also for Eric Elwood’s 150th Connacht cap, earned over a remarkable 18 year interprovincial career.

Tickets can be bought from the Connacht website at www.connachtrugby.ie