A veteran of four World Cups – the highlighting being his winning drop goal against Australia in the 2003 final – the 32-year-old Wilkinson was also capped six times for the British and Irish Lions.

And Lancaster insists the fact that Wilkinson will continue to compete at the highest level for Toulon, is another factor which shows there is no better exponent of the game to seek advice from.

"He will continue to do great things with Toulon,” said Lancaster.

“I would like to go and see him in France to learn from his vast knowledge and experience of 13 years at the very top of the international game.

"Jonny has had a fantastic international career which has spanned four World Cups and 91 caps, and he ranks as one of England's greatest ever players.

"He will, of course, be remembered for that drop-goal. But he is more than that, a model sportsman – down to earth and hard-working – who has never stopped trying to be the best that he can."