5 Nov 2009

England hooker completes unlikely comeback

6:23 am on 5 November 2009

The England hooker Steve Thompson has completed the final stage of his remarkable rugby comeback by being named in England's starting fifteen for play Australia at Twickenham this weekend.

Part of England's winning World Cup team in 2003, Thompson was forced to retire from the game with a neck injury in 2007 but, after repaying an insurance payout of more than a million dollars, he resumed his career with the French club Brive.

First five Jonny Wilkinson also returns for his first appearance since the 2008 Six Nations, and flanker Lewis Moody is another playing for the first time since 2008.