Vickery and Fortey under pressure

NIGEL MELVILLE and Dean Ryan have sent out a clear warning to Phil Vickery and Chris Fortey — don’t think you are going to walk back into the side for Saturday’s game at Thomond Park.

Melville and Ryan, director of rugby and coach, respectively, at Gloucester, were understandably delighted with the performance of their front-row trio at Kingsholm, even though they were short England World Cup hero Phil Vickery because of injury and Fortey, their number one hooker, through suspension. Both will be available for Limerick but may yet have to settle for a place on the bench.

Given that Vickery is on the short list to replace Martin Johnson as England captain when (not if, by all accounts) he announces his retirement from international rugby this week, this is a clear indication of the wave of confidence sweeping through the Gloucester camp at the moment.