Rugby Union: Return of Globetrotter Tait Could Be Silver Lining for England

Jonny Wilkinson's latest return to Newcastle's squad tomorrow might give Andy Robinson an excuse for a rare smile after a glum few weeks but Mathew Tait's reappearance in the black shirt may be more significant for the England coach as he seeks a creative mix in his back line.

Robinson's short-term concern might be to explain away England's failings this spring but his thoughts are already turning to June when England take a squad to Australia for two Tests. The 20-year-old Tait is expected to return to Australia where he made an eye-catching contribution to England's recent sevens side in the Commonwealth games in Melbourne.

Tait will not be hard to pick out in the centre against Sale at Kingston Park tomorrow afternoon. The suntan may be fading fast but in recent weeks he has led a jet-setting life with other sevens tournaments in Los Angeles, Wellington, Singapore and Hong Kong. The form of the man who takes Jamie Noon's place at outside-centre tomorrow will be monitored in the next month when Newcastle aim for a Heineken Cup spot via the European Challenge Cup with a semi-final at home to London Irish next weekend.

It is not a case of if but when Tait returns to try and obliterate the memory of his England debut at Cardiff last year when Gavin Henson spoilt his 19th birthday celebrations the following day. The week before this year's Wales game Robinson's backs coach Joe Lydon was at Kingston Park to watch Tait illuminate a dreary game against Saracens with a sublime outside break that provided the winning try for Anthony Elliott.

Rob Andrew, Newcastle's director of rugby, believes he has a potential England midfield in Wilkinson, Tait and Noon. Andrew, though, may be unwilling in the next few weeks to sing the praises of too many of his young players. He is seething at the treatment of his prop David Wilson who returned to Newcastle after England's recent Under-21 grand slam with a broken jaw that he claims should have been picked up by the England medical staff and he has been none to happy to loan out Tait for his globetrotting exploits at the business end of the season.

Tait admits: "It's been hard being away from Kingston Park when the Falcons have had some important games but from a sevens point of view we've had some massive tournaments and had a good degree of success. The Commonwealth games was something special, not just for the rugby itself but the whole event. Staying in the athletes' village in Melbourne was a bit different and even though we would have all loved to have won gold, getting a silver medal is still amazing."

It was a silver medal, though, that did not stay on Tait's mantelpiece for long as he revealed this week that it had gone missing. "I actually thought I has lost the medal this week so I was going mad but I found it in Ollie Phillips's car. I've given it to my mum so I don't lose it again."

Tait was a gold medal winner at the Hong Kong sevens a fortnight ago and a runner-up in Singapore last week. It is a globetrotting schedule, though, that Ellen MacArthur might have found taxing."I'm absolutely fine," he insists. "I had a pretty bad night's sleep on Monday but apart from that I feel great. In a sense it's nice to have been away because I've missed all the hype that's been in the press about me.

"Having been through all that once before with the Six Nations I now know what to expect and you just have to ignore it when people are bigging you up. The important thing is that I just get on with my rugby and focus on Newcastle. Sunday's game is an ideal chance to do that."

England's coach needs a few breaks after a difficult period and Tait may be the man to provide it. And a spectacular appearance by Tait tomorrow may also bring some relief to Andrew - if only because it takes the spotlight away from Wilkinson.