Jonny Wilkinson attracted a crowd of 5,000 to his first training session with French club Toulon.

Fans were eager to get a glimpse of their star signing, who has joined on a two-year £750,000-a-season deal from Newcastle.

Wilkinson, plagued by injuries after kicking the winning drop goal for England in the 2003 World Cup Final, had not played since dislocating his knee in October.

But the French club's director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre was impressed by the fly-half yesterday.

"He's in good form, he passed his medical tests and physical tests," said Saint-Andre. "He's shown he's feeling very good. It was his first training session, he wanted to get on the ball because he had not done so for eight or nine months."

Wilkinson moved to Toulon after 12 years with the Newcastle, and hopes the move to France will reignite his England career.

The 30-year-old's former club made a signing of their own yesterday when South African centre Gcobani Bobo agreed a two-year contract.

Bobo, capped six times by the Springboks, missed just one game for the Stormers' in this year's Super 14 and played for the Western Province in their narrow loss to the Lions.

"I'll certainly miss the camaraderie in South Africa but it's an exciting and new challenge for me at Newcastle," said the 29year-old.