The world champions have arrived in Edinburgh, targeting a fourth successive victory over their oldest international rival.

While there was a degree of satisfaction with last weekends 50-9 win that got their RBS 6 Nations campaign off to a flying start in Italy, Englands imperious standards and eye for detail meant that they fell a little short.

"If you had said to me before last weekend that we were going to beat Italy 50-9, then I would have bitten your hand off, said Vickery, who wins his 40th cap.

"The press hyped it up to be a fantastic performance, but if youre honest and truthful with yourselves, then you kind of knew it wasnt.

"Italy made four line breaks. Against France, that would be four tries, and thats not being disrespectful to the Italians, but in a big game, the reality is that youre struggling.

"Teams are now going out and having a go, and with this world champions tag weve got around our necks, people are going to raise their games and are going to want to beat us.

We need to be more clinical. We missed a couple of lineouts in Rome due to calls, and some of the communication didnt quite come through on a couple of plays. Its all the little things, but in big games, they make a massive difference.

We set high standards, and sometimes we can get a little bit over-critical, but we all know what it takes to do well and compete in these games. If youve got ambitions to win the thing, then we know what levels we have got to reach, he added.

The press will have been saying this week that there is no way England are going to lose against Scotland - it will be the same old stuff. But I know, Scotland against England at Murrayfield on the day, then anything can happen.

Scotland have got some quality players. They will be disappointed with the Wales game last weekend, and the only way they can change that is this weekend against England.

What a perfect opportunity - at home, against the world champions.

Everyone wants the Six Nations to be competitive, and want it to be a close-fought race, and I think that it is going to be this year.

Vickerys scrum battle opposite his fellow Lion and Scotland loosehead Tom Smith will go a long way towards settling that particular set-piece area.

Respect is mutual, with Vickery claiming: Toms a great bloke. I shared a room with him on the 2001 Lions trip to Australia for a few weeks.

Hes a top player, hes a warrior and he is proud of his country. If youre not on your game, then hell punish you. Hes very consistent.

And Vickery knows all about Scotland punishing England, such as the 2000 Grand Slam game when Duncan Hodges try helped the Scots to a famous victory and produced one equally memorable newspaper headline - Battlers 19, Bottlers 13.

As on that occasion, England will be without their legendary World Cup captain Martin Johnson, whose retirement from international rugby last month has put an onus on other leaders within the team to take added responsibility.

Johnno is not here any more, and as disappointed as I am, its not going to change anything, said Vickery.

At least now, you cant think to yourself it will be all right next week because hes going to be back.

People will step forward and will step up, but you just dont replace guys like that overnight, if you could ever replace them.

We are in an environment, with the England team, where time isnt available. Youve got to go out and perform, or someone else will come in.

I know, in my position, theres Julian (White), young Matt Stevens coming through, and Jason (Leonard). If you dont perform, then thats the end - it is the reality.

It is the same as most jobs. If you dont hit your targets and produce the goods, there is always someone behind you prepared to step in and do it.