Gloucester keep Munster guessing on Vickery return

GLOUCESTER tightened their circle of secrecy around the return to fitness of Phil Vickery in an attempt to throw Munster off his European Cup recovery trail.

The only certainty is that Vickery is suffering the effects of a rib injury, but he took part in both of Gloucester's contact sessions on Tuesday and yesterday for the first time since he suffered cartilage damage against Bourgoin.

But whether that is enough to convince Kingsholm boss Nigel Melville to plunge him straight back into the Heineken Cup firmament at Thomond Park on Saturday is not clear.