Toby Flood had to contend with living in Jonny Wilkinson's shadow for both club and country but with England embracing the new era under Stuart Lancaster, Flood has found himself being the most experienced man in the side.

A product of the Newcastle Academy, Flood was also coached by Wilkinson whilst a schoolboy at Kings School and would later player for Alnwick and Morpeth before joining the Falcons in April 2003.

He made his England debut as a 21-year-old in 2006, coming on as a replacement for Charlie Hodgson in the November international against Argentina. The following year he started England's Six Nations matches against France and Wales but was switched to inside centre for the two summer Tests against South Africa.

Although included in the 47-man Preliminary 2007 Rugby World Cup training squad, he missed the final cut only to be drafted in as a replacement when injury ended Jamie Noon's tournament. He featured in the quarter-final victory over Australia and the semi-final win against France before appearing off the bench in the final against South Africa. He had played at inside centre throughout the 2008 Six Nations, scoring his team's first try of the tournament in the opening match against Wales, before adding another in the following game against Italy.

After making the move from Newcastle to Leicester in the summer of 2008, he retained his place in the elite squad with the arrival of Martin Johnson as manager and laid claim to the England No.10 shirt during the 2009 Six Nations but injury ruled him out of the end of year internationals. He forced his way back into contention ahead of the 2010 Six Nations and reclaimed the fly-half berth from Wilkinson for the final clash against France.

Flood retained the England fly-half jersey throughout a mixed tour of the southern hemisphere, which ended with a thrilling victory over Australia. But he suffered a knee ligaments injury on the opening day of the 2010-11 season, ruling him out for two months and putting his participation in the autumn internationals into serious doubt. However, he battled back to fitness and featured in all four Tests, although his participation in the defeat by South Africa was cut short by a knock to the head.

He made a swift return to action, though, with Leicester and soon after put pen to paper on a new three-year contract extension with the Tigers. Flood then played a starring role in England's triumphant Six Nations campaign, forming a terrific half-back partnership with club-mate Ben Youngs - although the pair did disappoint in the final-round defeat by Ireland in Dublin which denied Martin Johnson's men a Grand Slam.

Indeed, that performance at the Aviva clearly clearly put some doubts into Johnson's mind about Flood's ability to guide England through their World Cup campaign and he found himself on the bench for the crunch pool clashes against Argentina and Scotland. He was recalled to the starting XV for the quarter final against France, when he was played at inside centre in tandem with Wilkinson. However the gamble back-fired as England crashed out of the tournament.

Injury delayed his return to the international stage for the Six Nations with Hodgson and then Owen Farrell handed the playmaking duties. Flood returned to fitness for his side's third outing against Wales but had to make do with a place on the bench.

Flood returned to the Tigers and was in sensational form to help propel them into the Premiership play-offs. But injury put paid to him featuring in their semi-final against Saracens and then the final against Leicester. He was a massive doubt going into the tour to South Africa but Lancaster threw him in at the deep end when he was named as starting fly-half for the second Test against the Boks.

He held the shirt for the beginning of the autumn internationals but missed the final Test against New Zealand through injury. His replacement, Farrell, produced the goods and kept the shirt for the 2013 Six Nations.