Summer Tours - England's Jonny Wilkinson has insisted that the decision for him to go on tour to South Africa was the right one....

Wilkinson, who starts the First Test in Bloemfontein on Saturday, has played only a handful of games for England since kicking them to World Cup glory four years ago due to an unfortunate run of injuries.

Many believe he should have been kept at home under wraps for the World Cup later in the year, rather than testing himself in a depleted England team on bone hard pitches against pumped up Springboks.

Already the Newcastle player has had to contend with a stomach virus affecting the England squad, though he appears to have fought off the worst, unlike David Strettle.

Harlequins' Strettle has failed to recover in time and has been replaced on the wing by Gloucester's Iain Balshaw.

"I am okay. I had a couple of days in bed, and I am coming through the back end of it now. It should be perfect timing - I trained today," Wilkinson said of the virus.

But the risk of picking up another long-term injury will have many England fans crossing their fingers for this weekend's game and the Second Test in Pretoria a week later.

However, Wilkinson claimed it was important for him to get as much match-time as possible ahead of the World Cup.

"I have an opportunity to represent my country on a tour to South Africa, so I don't really need any other reason to be here," added the big-hitting fly-half. "I am here to try and add whatever I can to the team and the squad.

"On a personal front, I am here to try to better myself, to further my learning which has been a bit stunted over the last three years, and get some experience under pressure against one of the best teams in the world.

"It is a valuable opportunity to learn and learn quickly, which is of the essence with the World Cup just around the corner. It is an ideal place to be, provided we go out there and we perform to our potential."

Wilkinson started the Second Test when England last toured South Africa in 2000, kicking all their points in a 27-22 victory that many believe was the launching pad for their rise to the top of the world rankings.

The Springboks have not fared well against England in the last decade, especially when they went down by a record 53-3 margin at Twickenham in 2002. But Wilkinson insist this is all now history.

"It is nice to go back to a place you have been before, but you quickly learn in this game that these are one-off moments," added Wilkinson.

"That occasion (Bloemfontein) took all 22 English players on the day and all their efforts to turn that game to what it was. It's seven years on now, and two totally different sides.

"I have always been for the here and now in terms of rugby. I think 2002 was a bit of a one in a million game. It just so happened to turn our way, and I think it snowballed and maybe the scoreline didn't quite tell the story.

"It was a big win for us, but there have been numerous games between the countries since then. In terms of avenging stuff, I don't really see it that way."

Nor does Wilkinson subscribe to the theory that England have little chance on Saturday and insists they will be going all out to win.

"I don't think I have ever gone into a game and thought about keeping the score down, to be fair," he said. "You go out there, you hit the first whistle and the first minute and react to whatever happens.

"I have been involved in games when we have been on the wrong end - Ireland, just recently, was one of those - but never once do you think about keeping the score down or you are going to lose before you start, because it would be pointless playing."