Vickery revels in ‘career pinnacle’

CLOSE TO tears, an emotional Phil Vickery yesterday described how much it meant to be part of the Lions Test team for the opening game of the series against South Africa at Kings Park, Durban today.

After 73 Test appearances for England, with a World Cup winners’ medal in his trophy cabinet, one would think he has achieved everything. Not so, he feels; Vickery’s dream is to help the Lions to a series victory over the world champions and he wants Scotland, Wales and Ireland to get due recognition.

“It has been brilliant; the other night I had an Irishman, a Welshman and a guy from Scotland come up to me in the hotel to wish me all the best. Is that a case of the world going mad, or what? It sure was strange.”