FORMER Hampshire schoolboy turned global rugby superstar, Jonny Wilkinson, was expected to be named in the British and Irish Lions squad to tour New Zealand this summer.

A string of successive injuries have forced Wilkinson - who represented Hampshire schoolboys at under 15 through to under 18 level - to sit on the sidelines since his World Cup winning drop goal for England nearly two years ago.

But the 25-year-old fly-half will make his first team comeback with Newcastle this coming weekend and, if successful, he could yet feature in the Lions' first choice team.

The announcement of the 44-man squad at noon today by Lions manager Sir Clive Woodward, who is expected to join Saints' football academy on a consultancy basis after the five-week tour, is likely to contain a few surprise call-ups.

Despite vowing to pick on Six Nations form, when England finished a lowly fourth place behind Wales, France and Ireland, Woodward will choose to stick with tried and tested, if retired, England players.

That could mean reuniting Salisbury-born flanker Richard Hill, 31, who is two games into his injury comeback after nine months off with knee ligament damage, with international retirees Lawrence Dallaglio, 32, and Neil Back.

At 36, Leicester's Back would become the oldest player ever to be named in a starting Lions squad.

The 44-man tour squad, with an additional 26 backroom staff, is the largest ever selected in the Lions' 117-year history and a reflection of the growing physical demands on players.

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TOUR SCHEDULE:

4 June v Bay of Plenty

8 June v Taranaki

11 June v NZ Maori

15 June v Wellington

18 June v Otago

21 June v Southland

25 June v NEW ZEALAND

28 June v Manawatu

2 July v NEW ZEALAND

5 July v Auckland

9 July v NEW ZEALAND