Thompson ruled out of Six Nations

WORLD Cup winner Steve Thompson has been ruled out of England’s entire RBS Six Nations Championship campaign due to a neck injury.

The 28-year-old Northampton hooker faces an eight-week rest period from playing and training because of a disc problem.

Meanwhile Rob Andrew has hailed England World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson as “an extraordinary individual” ahead of his logic-defying return to the Test match arena.

A demoralising catalogue of injuries and illness – Wilkinson returned to action only two days ago after recovering from a lacerated kidney – effectively put the 27-year-old in cold storage for club and country following his World Cup exploits.

New England head coach Brian Ashton, though, saw enough during a three-day England training camp last week to be convinced Wilkinson warranted an international recall.

Wilkinson’s former Newcastle boss and current Rugby Football Union elite rugby director Andrew revealed Ashton canvassed widespread opinion before finally making the call last night.

“Jonny is an extraordinary individual,” said Andrew yesterday.

“Every time he comes back from knocks, he looks virtually ready from the first time he touches the ball.’’

There are a total of 11 personnel changes from the side beaten 25-14 by South Africa in Andy Robinson’s last game as England supremo just over nine weeks ago.

Gloucester’s Iain Balshaw returns at full-back, so Lewsey moves to the wing, while there are also recalls for Leicester trio Harry Ellis, George Chuter and Louis Deacon, plus Sale’s openside flanker Magnus Lund.

England: I Balshaw (Gloucester); J Lewsey (Wasps), M Tindall (Gloucester), A Farrell (Saracens), J Robinson (Sale Sharks); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), H Ellis (Leicester); P Freshwater (Perpignan), G Chuter (Leicester), P Vickery (Wasps, capt), L Deacon (Leicester), D Grewcock (Bath), J Worsley (Wasps), M Lund (Sale Sharks), M Corry (Leicester).

Replacements: L Mears (Bath), J White (Leicester), T Palmer (Wasps), L Moody (Leicester), P Richards (Gloucester), T Flood (Newcastle), M Tait (Newcastle).