Gloucester injury blow as Vickery ruled out

GLOUCESTER’S worst fears have been realised with the withdrawal yesterday of England World Cup-winning tight head prop Phil Vickery from their side to meet Munster in the Heineken European Cup at Kingsholm tomorrow.

Vickery is regarded as one of the best number threes in the game but has been unfortunate with injury.

He missed the entire Six Nations Championship last year and with it England’s Grand Slam triumph, before a successful back operation cleared the way for his involvement in the World Cup.