Wilkinson was making his competitive bow in French club rugby

England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson kicked 17 points on his French league debut as his new side Toulon drew 22-22 at home to Stade Francais on Friday night.

The 30-year-old kicked four penalties, a drop-goal and a conversion in the Top 14 curtain-raiser, his first league game since leaving Newcastle in May.

"It's not bad," said Wilkinson, who was playing his first competitive game for almost a year.

"It's good to have played a whole match but I would have preferred a win."

Wilkinson's 70th-minute drop-goal looked to have won the game for Toulon but Stade's Noel Oelschig slotted a drop-goal of his own three minutes from time to clinch a draw for the visitors.

Wilkinson has enjoyed an injury-free spell since moving to France, having endured six years of frustration with recurring injuries after guiding England to victory in the 2003 World Cup.

606: DEBATE He did miss a couple of kicks, but seriously he looked fantastic Cariadwr :o)

The fly-half, who was speaking in fluent French on French television, added: "It's an incredible club here and it's a great experience for me. I hope I can do well here, and give everything I've got to repay the faith shown in me."

Wilkinson, who was playing in his first official match since dislocating his knee in October, also said he will need to adapt his game.

"It's a new style of playing for me here, so I have to learn," he said.

"It's very important to keep the ball in the opponent's half. I missed a couple of kicks as well, which could have seen us win the match."

Three more England internationals - Tom Palmer, Tom May and James Haskell - were also in action, with Stade Francais flanker Haskell picking up a first-half yellow card for an offence at a ruck.

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