Alred joins up to make Jonny king

Jonny Wilkinson will be fortified by more than a personal goalkicking graph soaring to new heights of accuracy when the Lions leave for Australia in seven weeks.

In their attempt to win successive Test series for the first time since the 1970s, the tourists are taking a taking a third English coach, the one responsible for keeping the fly half prodigy on his upward curve ever closer to perfection.

The wrangle over Dave Alred's availability for a tour which clashes with England's trip to North America has been resolved, so the former gridiron footballer will take his place as the Lions' kicking expert alongside Andy Robinson and Phil Larder in the coaching team headed by Graham Henry.

England had agreed to release Alred, but not before their internationals against Canada in Toronto and America in Berkeley.

The Lions, under manager Donal Lenihan, were adamant that Alred had to be with them from Day One or not at all.

Lenihan said: 'This has been an on-going issue. I am delighted that England have made him available and that he will be with us for the whole tour. It completes a very strong managementcoaching team.'

Alred will work with a battery of goalkickers, although exactly how many will not be known until the Lions announce their 37- strong squad a fortnight tomorrow. Neil Jenkins, Ronan O'Gara, Matt Dawson, Mike Catt and Matt Perry are among the contenders forming a queue behind Wilkinson.

Alred was hired by Newcastle before being contracted to the RFU and worked with Wilkinson even before his arrival in the Premiership.

Since then, 21- year- old Wilkinson has become the youngest player to reach 400 Test points - just as he was the youngest to reach 100, 200 and 300 - and his kicking has never been better.

Wilkinson has become more consistent every season since being rushed in far ahead of his time, three years ago, for the disastrous trip to the Southern Hemisphere.