At the core of Jonny Wilkinson is belief. During the three long years in which injury seemed to attack every part of his body as the shadows enveloped him and English rugby, he never indulged in self-pity and he never gave up hope, as readers of his exclusive columns in The Times will know.

December 2003 The injury jinx seems to begin before Wilkinson’s feet have touched the ground after the hysteria arising from England’s World Cup win. He fractures a facet in his right shoulder.

Jonny wrote “The injury, luckily, is not a huge worry. The doctors were quick to inform me that it was just the same as having a stress fracture in your arm or leg. The real pain is not being able to play.”

February 2004 Only 53 minutes into his return for Newcastle against Northampton, Wilkinson injures the shoulder again.

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Jonny wrote “I decided, along with doctors and my family, that I need to have surgery to help me to return to full fitness.”

October 2004 Wilkinson makes his second comeback in a preseason match against Connacht, but then a haematoma in his upper right arm becomes so debilitating that he has to rest. It rules him out of an England return after being named captain.

Jonny wrote “Twenty-four hours on, I am OK but feeling disappointed and frustrated. Depressed would be too strong a word.”

January 2005 After six weeks out enduring probably what was then the lowest point of his career – as England captain watching from the stands at Twickenham - he makes his third comeback in December, from the bench against Edinburgh. He starts his first match in January, but six days later in Perpignan, he damages the medial ligaments in his left knee.

Jonny wrote “Four to six weeks out, I’m told, I’m hoping for a month. After being helped off the pitch at Perpignan, there were tears of frustration from me, though I did do my best to hide them.”

March 2005 Comeback four against Harlequins lasts 34 minutes before he limps off after damaging the same knee.

Jonny wrote “The uncertainty is back. At Newcastle yesterday morning, I trained with Steve Black, the fitness coach – not on the knee, obviously, but upper-body work. You just have to get on with it.”

July 2005 Wilkinson is given time to recover and goes on the disastrous Lions tour of New Zealand for comeback five, but suffers a “stinger” nerve injury to his shoulder in the second international.

Jonny wrote “Even though I’ve probably had about fifty “stingers” in my career, it still shocks the system. It renders you helpless. The pain is such that you get this hot, burning sensation, the arm goes like a dead weight and you know you are feeling it deep down in your body.”

August 2005 He goes on Newcastle’s preseason tour of Japan, but after complaining of sickness has his appendix removed in September.

Jonny wrote “On the ‘why me?’ graph of self-pity, I’m not too high.”

November 2005 Wilkinson returns in October, but discovers he needs a double hernia operation.

Jonny wrote: “This is about as far from the England team as I’ve been for years.”

February 2006 Wilkinson is supposed to make his eighth comeback on February 19, but strains his groin. Another Six Nations passes him by.

Jonny wrote “There’s something masochistic in this desire to be boxed into a corner.”

September 2006 At start of new term, he tears medial ligaments in right knee after colliding with his Newcastle teammate, Andy Buist.

Jonny wrote “I’ve gone past the stage of asking ‘why me?’, I’m at the stage now where I get injured and immediately tune into what I’ve got to do next.”

November 2006 He makes comeback No 9, but six days later he suffers a lacerated kidney.

Jonny wrote “I’m still positive. I’ve never questioned whether I can get back again.”

January 2007 After 1,167 days, 44 England matches and 11 injuries, since November 22, 2003, scores 27 points in the win over Scotland, but a hamstring strain led to him missing England’s last two games of the season.

September 2007 On day one of England’s World Cup trail, the injury jinx is back, when, during a training session, he steps over Steve Borthwick and Phil Vickery and lands awkwardly on Borthwick’s boot, twisting an ankle.

Jonny wrote “I know that being positive is the appropriate frame of mind here, but I am genuinely feeling that way about my damaged ankle. I am looking at the South Africa game and am still determined to play.”

October 2007 He never did make it back for that South Africa game (and just as well), but comeback No 12 has gone pretty well so far and he might yet get a chance against the Springboks.