Wilkinson was unveiled as captain on Tuesday

Fly-half Wilkinson, 25, is renowned as one of the most intense players in the whole of world rugby.

He said: "I'll have to look at things and move them around. I'm much more aware of how I want to play the game in future and things I didn't do before.

"[Before this] my enjoyment of rugby only came in a reflective manner but now it comes from the outset."

Wilkinson was appointed England captain on Monday by stand-in coach Andy Robinson in the wake of former captain Lawrence Dallaglio's decision to retire.

Ahead of this season ,the England number 10 had barely played a game since his World Cup-winning heroics.

Robinson, though, insisted he had seen enough in Wilkinson's five Premiership games back to appoint him captain "without a doubt".

I was never in any doubt about what my initial reaction would be Jonny Wilkinson Wilkinson to lead England

But the Newcastle and England playmaker revealed he had taken time before agreeing to the new role.

"I thought my reaction would be to jump at the opportunity as it is a dream of mine," said Wilkinson.

"But Andy Robinson gave me plenty of time to think about it, which I did."

Wilkinson said he realised there was likely to be an increase in attention on his private life now he had become England captain.

He said: "I'm the one that's dealing with that every day. But I was never in any doubt about what my initial reaction would be. It was always going to be a positive one."

Wilkinson admitted the time out from the game had done him good, enabling him to get a "new perspective on things", although the notoriously intense fly-half said he would not play in "a more relaxed way".

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The toughest part of being on the sidelines, according to England's new captain, was missing both the Six Nations and the autumn Tests.

"The big thing I missed was playing in the England squad," he said. "Watching England I was missing things being there - the hotel before a match, the training sessions, the intensity.

"But I've had some time out from the game. I know what my goals are and what have to do to achieve them."

Wilkinson's first game as England captain is in the autumn international against Canada on 13 November.