Moody ready to make his mark

LEWIS MOODY is ready to stake his claim for a role in England’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Wales - but the firebrand Leicester flanker admits: “There is a lot of pressure on me.”

As Moody prepares to launch his comeback, England head coach Andy Robinson has been dealt a double injury blow with the news that 47 times-capped prop Phil Vickery will undergo a back operation tomorrow and will not play in this season’s Six Nations. Bath back Olly Barkley is also out for six weeks with a dislocated thumb sustained against Heineken Cup opponents Leinster last Sunday.

Barkley, a strong contender to have faced Wales at inside centre, is now also set to miss England’s appointments with Italy and Scotland next month.