Vickery rallies troops to restore England’s lost pride

ENGLAND captain, Phil Vickery, has called for his team to “get a bit of pride back in the jersey” when they launch their RBS Six Nations Championship campaign against Scotland.

The Wasps prop will lead a much-changed England side tomorrow, following this season’s miserable autumn Test programme.

Only flanker, Joe Worsley, and number eight, Martin Corry, remain in their starting positions from the 25-14 home loss to South Africa less than 10 weeks ago.

Vickery, who leads England for a third time — but the first occasion at Twickenham — knows there can be no hint of a hangover after last year’s prolonged struggle when the world champions won just three Tests in 11 starts.

“We have had a lot of criticism, on and off the field, in recent weeks and months — and a lot of that criticism has been taken on the chin,” he said.

“I don’t know all the answers to some of the problems. All I know is we have a team prepared to go out this weekend and, I hope, show the rugby public what England are about.

“We have no reputation any more, so it is a good chance for everyone to go out and start the building blocks again. Individually, there are reputations. But as an England team and a pack of forwards, our reputation is not particularly strong at the moment. That is not me criticising my team — that is just fact.

“It is easy to say, ‘Forget about what has happened in the past.’ I have not forgotten about it, because it hurts — but we have to move on. Talk among the players this week has been that we have got an opportunity to go out and prove ourselves.

“Let’s go out and get a bit of pride back in the jersey.”

Vickery, who along with Corry and centre, Mike Tindall, wins his 50th cap this weekend, is charged with picking England up by their bootlaces.

With the World Cup defence just 10 games and seven months away, regaining the Calcutta Cup is top of England’s priority list for all kinds of reasons.

Vickery added: “We need to use this game and get something out of it.”

The return of 2003 World Cup final match-winner, Jonny Wilkinson, has dominated England’s build-up to a game which sees head coach, Brian Ashton, in charge for the first time, while ex-Great Britain rugby league teammates, Andy Farrell and Jason Robinson, link up behind the scrum.