But with Vickery – who turned 34 last weekend – due back in action with Wasps by the end of the season, the former England captain refuses to give up on adding to his tally of 73 caps.

“He’s been fantastic,” Vickery said. “It’s great the way he has settled in and hopefully he will be around for a very long time.

“I am not one of those guys who worries about competition. I just want to see England do well – I think he could be someone who will be in the England team for a long time to come.

“I still have ambitions, I would love to play for England again of course I would. I’ll get back and do everything that I can.

“You can’t just have one guy, you need three or four guys who you can call upon, because when someone does get injured they need to be there to step up.

“That has been the area that England has struggled, particularly in the front row in recent times.”

Vickery has been written off numerous times after a succession of serious neck and back injuries, but each time the Raging Bull of English rugby has proved his critics wrong by returning stronger than ever.

Wasps anticipate the prop will be back in full-contact training within four to six weeks, but having been through the process numerous times Vickery is refusing to set a definite date on his comeback.

He added: “I am hoping to sit down next week and put together a programme to get me back.

“The neck is fine – the strength is getting better and everything is pretty positive.

“I would be very disappointed if I didn’t play again this year but you never know what can happen when you do some transition work and people start bashing into you.

“I don’t want to come back too soon but I do want to be back on the field – that’s where I am most comfortable.”