British and Irish Lions

Thompson announced last spring that his career was over, after he hurt his neck playing for Northampton against Biarritz in January.

A World Cup-winner with England in 2003, he became coach of Brive.

But after medical advice, the 29-year-old is playing for his club again - and is not ruling out an England recall after figuring as a substitute for Brive against Connacht in the European Challenge Cup at the weekend.

"I didn't think I was going to be ready to play until December," he told Eurosport.

"I thought I might get on for 10 minutes - but I played for over an hour.

"I'd more or less accepted that I wasn't going to play again, so it's great to be back.

"I never retired from international rugby - and if the opportunity arises to play for England again I'd jump at it."

Three former British & Irish Lions will line-up against an England XV at Twickenham Stadium on Sunday as the Barbarians warm-up for their showdown with the 2013 tourists in Hong Kong next week.

Radike Samo, one of only two players still playing top level rugby in Australia who placed against the 2001 British & Irish Lions, will return to top flight action with Queensland Reds against the Stormers in Cape Town on Sunday.

British & Irish Lions hookers Dylan Hartley and Tom Youngs will fight out their own private duel in the Aviva Premiership final at Twickenham on Saturday and then become team mates for the next six weeks a day later.