Vickery rallies troops for Ulster clash

PHIL Vickery last night rallied Gloucester for their make-or-break Heineken Cup mission against Ulster, and vowed: “We will hit them with everything we’ve got.”

Gloucester must collect at least a point from the Belfast clash, or they cannot win Pool 6 if rivals Stade Francais get a maximum five points in Paris against Cardiff Blues tonight.

Gloucester’s degree of difficulty is intensified by the daunting statistic that Ulster have won 11 successive Heineken Cup games at Ravenhill, their scalps including Stade (twice), Wasps, Leicester and Biarritz.

“Ulster’s home record speaks for itself,” said England prop Vickery, who starts his second comeback game after recovering from an ‘blow-out’ eye socket fracture.

“They are a very different side at Ravenhill to what they are on the road. We’ve gone about our business quietly this week and we will go there with confidence and hit them with everything we’ve got.

“Games are always won or lost up front. Ulster are a good side, and a lot of people talk about David Humphreys and the role he plays. But they’ve got a good pack of forwards.

“With their kicking game, they get good field position and then apply the pressure. They work hard for each other; there is a good ethos there, and with their crowd behind them we know what’s in store.”

Hooker Mefin Davies and wing Seti Kiole are not registered for the pool stage. James Parkes therefore takes over in the Gloucester front row and James Bailey replaces Kiole.

Elsewhere, England sevens captain Simon Amor starts at fly-half - allowing in-form Henry Paul to move into the Gloucester midfield alongside Terry Fanolua.