Wilkinson back for England

Former England golden boy Jonny Wilkinson is back and will make an international return for the first time in 18 months against Australia at Twickenham on Saturday.

All eyes will be on Wilko, who has been back to his best since a move across the Channel to Toulon, as one of the few truly experienced heads in England's line-up.

The irony is that the injury-prone Wilkinson is one of the few players actually fit for selection. In all, 27 players are unavailable to Martin Johnson through injury as 11 of the initial 32-man squad had to pull out in the last few days with differing ailments.

England's No.10 might not be able to lead his side to victory over the Wallabies on his own but he will give it a damn good try. His kicking prowess will certainly keep them in the hunt if the visitors concede any penalties in kicking range and they'll be all too aware of their nemesis' abilities from the last two World Cups.

So, the majority of England's squad might be wrapped in bandages but Wilko is back, along with hooker Steve Thompson who returns from virtual retirement.

One can only hope that means a return to bigger and better things for England. The reality, though, is that England - now ranked only seventh in the world - will come unstuck against Australia, who boast a far more formidable line-up even without their own Wilkinson.

What do you make of Wilkinson's recall and can he recapture his best form and inspire an England win over Australia? Post your comments below...

Toyota quit F1

Toyota stunned the world of Formula 1 on Wednesday by announcing they were pulling out of the sport with immediate effect.

The announcement is all the more shocking as the team had only recently signed up to the Concorde Agreement - effectively tying it to F1 until 2012. In addition, team boss John Howett was saying as recently as Sunday that he was planning to give Kamui Kobayashi a race deal for next season while chasing a "big name" for the other seat.

One can only assume that the decision must have come as a massive shock to Howett himself, who insisted at the weekend that preparations were already well under way for 2010 and that the team would definitely be on the grid.

The news is a bitter blow for F1, who have lost their third major manufacturer in a year following the departure of both Honda and BMW. All eyes will now be on Renault, who have been tipped to leave the sport in the past but, like Toyota were doing a few days ago, insist they will compete next season.

The one plus point is that Qadbak, who bought out BMW Sauber, look certain to get a slot on the grid for next season. But F1 will be feeling very shaky and wondering how many more major pull-outs the sport can sustain.

What do you make of Toyota's decision to quit F1? What does it mean for the sport as a whole? Post your comments below...

Latest F1 gossip... Raikkonen considers McLaren offer

The season may have finished, but our F1 expert will continue you to enlighten your lives with pitlane rumours during the winter months.

Read about Kimi Raikkonen's future and all the latest F1 gossip - and post your thoughts and rumours below.