Tomorrow, England will be led out for a big-pressure match by a fly half who has been in international rugby for a decade and scored more points than anyone else in the world. England's hopes depend on this diminutive hero performing his usual miracle act.

No, Jonny Wilkinson has not made a surprising recovery. This fly half is the England sevens captain, Ben Gollings, and if he is not a household name, it is not for want of trying.

Today's pool matches in the Emirates Dubai Sevens mark the start of his tenth IRB Sevens World Series and Gollings will be hoping to add to his 1,782 international points, almost 500 more than the next man.

Gollings has seen plenty of his former team-mates go on to represent England in the 15-man game and yesterday he urged the likes of Delon Armitage, Ugo Monye and James Haskell to remember the way they played alongside him and not be afraid to be creative against New Zealand at Twickenham tomorrow.

“England have to move the ball around and create holes for the quick boys on the wing,” Gollings said. “The players who have come into England from sevens are the most exciting we have, they just need self-belief. They have been picked for a reason and they need to express themselves. It will help their attack no end. They have looked too restricted in the internationals so far.”

Gollings reserved special praise for Danny Care, the scrum half, who was his team-mate when England won the silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

“Danny hasn't changed, he's still got the same adventurous approach he had in sevens,” Gollings said. “I'd like to see more of that from England.”

Appearing for England A was as close as Gollings got to a 15-man international cap. Four years ago, he moved Down Under with his Australian wife and has signed for the Gold Coast Breakers. “The style of play in the Premiership didn't suit my game,” he said.

“I would find it frustrating if the selectors didn't pick me because they saw me only as a sevens specialist - it's the same skills just with more space - but I'm not your stereotypical English player. I love to run with the ball in my hands.”

At 28, it is a point of pride that he still tops the England sevens fitness tests. “He is in the best nick I've seen him in,” Ben Ryan, the England sevens coach, said. Another fine display this weekend and the selectors may finally take notice.