Gloucester get a boost as Vickery returns

ENGLAND captaincy candidate Phil Vickery has given Gloucester a major Heineken Cup boost ahead of tomorrow’s crucial clash against Bourgoin.

Vickery will make his first start since mid-December in a game Gloucester must win to keep alive their ambitions of topping Pool Five and securing an automatic quarter-final place.

World Cup prop Vickery, a contender to replace Martin Johnson as England skipper, began his comeback as a second-half substitute against main rivals Munster last weekend. Rugby director Nigel Melville has also called up centre Robert Todd and lock Adam Eustace, as Gloucester look to show the form which swept them home 49-13 against Bourgoin at Kingsholm six weeks ago.

"It's not going to be easy going to France," admitted Gloucester centre Henry Paul.

"The first 40 minutes against them back in December were very close, but we put together two well-worked tries early in the second-half and built from there."

Leicester make the Pool One trip to Gwent Dragons, having put their European campaign back on track with a 49-7 rout of Ulster six days ago.

But the Dragons, who lost 34-3 to the Tigers before Christmas, are unbeaten on home soil this season, and still harbour quarter-final hopes.

"Ulster was a big game for us we knew our jobs were on the line," said Tigers scrum-half and England hopeful Harry Ellis, recalling a 33-0 drubbing in Belfast just a week earlier.

"Everyone at Leicester hates losing. It is not the taking part that appeals to us, but the winning that counts."

French champions Stade Francais, who visit Leicester in a potential winner-takes-all showdown next Friday night, will target a five-point maximum against visitors Ulster tomorrow.

"We know if we win at home against Ulster, then we will be going to Leicester looking for the necessary points in order to qualify," said Stade wing Christophe Dominici.

"We can't afford to make any more slip-ups.

Everyone in this group is in a situation where two wins are vital."