Wilkinson is ready for action again

"I think he can come back, but my concern is Newcastle," Dawson told BBC Five Live Sport. "Jonny is Newcastle.

"Rob Andrew and other players have gone; all of a sudden he is that club.

"Not only does that bring a mental pressure, it will take a physical toll because he will want to play in every minute of every game."

Wilkinson, 27, will start Newcastle's opening game of the new Premiership season against Northampton on Sunday.

England do need Jonny at his best Matt Dawson

It is the first of what he hopes will be a series of matches in which he can show he is ready for a return to the England set-up.

Despite remaining in England's Elite Player Squad, Wilkinson has still not played for his country since his heroics in the 2003 World Cup final.

"I worry about the maintenance of the guy, because England need him," added Dawson, who retired from playing at the end of last season.

"He is certainly not near Charlie Hodgson for now, and needs to play a lot of games to get near him. But England do need Jonny at his best."

Dawson believes his former Wasps team-mates and fellow World Cup winners Josh Lewsey and Lawrence Dallaglio will both return to the England fold as the countdown to next year's tournament gathers pace.

Dallaglio's return has been delayed while he reaches full fitness after having a plate removed from his ankle over the summer, a remnant of the injury he suffered on Lions duty in the summer of 2005.

When Josh is on his game there is not a better back three player out there Matt Dawson

"'Lol' has come out and said he has got no excuses now, his ankle is better and he is fitter than he has been for a long time," Dawson said.

"He is so hungry again. It was a difficult for him last season. He was playing with a plate in his foot and was running into players and getting smashed, when he has spent year after year smashing them.

"That dents your pride. But I take my hat off to him. I only knew him on the rugby field before but when I joined Wasps I realised what a huge influence he is on the club. The sooner he gets back the better."

Lewsey, meanwhile, has returned refreshed from his first summer off in seven years, after being dropped by England at the end of the Six Nations.

"Josh knows he has got to start performing consistently week in, week out for the club again (to get back in the England team)," Dawson added.

"He wasn't performing well when he was dropped and England had other back three players in form at the time.

"But when Josh is on his game and firing on all cyclinders, and his mind is focused purely on rugby, there is not a better back three player out there."