Volcano Erupts Into England Reckoning As Ashton Springs a Surprise
England have named Lesley Vainikolo in their 32-man squad for the Six Nations ahead of their tournament opener against Wales at Twickenham on February 2. There is no place for Josh Lewsey, Andy Farrell, Olly Barkley, or James Simpson-Daniel, while Phil Vickery has been retained as captain.
But it is the inclusion of Vainikolo, the 28-year-old wing who scored five tries against Leeds on his Gloucester debut earlier this season, that will make the headlines. Born in Tonga but now a British resident, he won 12 caps for New Zealand's rugby league team, scoring 14 tries, before signing for Gloucester from Bradford Bulls at the start of the current season.
His current CV boasts only nine rugby union matches, but in 1997, he was timed at 10.8 seconds in the 100m at the world junior athletics championships. Not for nothing is he known as the Volcano.
The omission of the 32-year-old Farrell has almost certainly brought to an end an international career that brought him just eight caps and plenty of criticism. The calf injury that cut short his disappointing World Cup has now taken on a more terminal feel.
The three other uncapped players are the Wasps fly-half Danny Cipriani, Sale's scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth and the Leicester flanker Tom Croft.
The squad in full: Backs: I Balshaw (Gloucester), D Cipriani (Wasps), M Cueto (Sale Sharks), T Flood (Newcastle), A Gomarsall (Harlequins), C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), J Noon (Newcastle), P Richards (London Irish), P Sackey (Wasps), D Strettle (Harlequins), M Tait (Newcastle), M Tindall (Gloucester), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), J Wilkinson (Newcastle), L Vainikolo (Gloucester). Forwards: S Borthwick (Bath), T Croft (Leicester), G Chuter (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins), J Haskell (Wasps), B Kay (Leicester), L Mears (Bath), L Moody (Leicester), T Payne (Wasps), T Rees (Wasps), M Regan (Bristol), S Shaw (Wasps), A Sheridan (Sale Sharks), M Stevens (Bath), P Vickery (Wasps, capt), J Worsley (Wasps).
But it is the inclusion of Vainikolo, the 28-year-old wing who scored five tries against Leeds on his Gloucester debut earlier this season, that will make the headlines. Born in Tonga but now a British resident, he won 12 caps for New Zealand's rugby league team, scoring 14 tries, before signing for Gloucester from Bradford Bulls at the start of the current season.
His current CV boasts only nine rugby union matches, but in 1997, he was timed at 10.8 seconds in the 100m at the world junior athletics championships. Not for nothing is he known as the Volcano.
The omission of the 32-year-old Farrell has almost certainly brought to an end an international career that brought him just eight caps and plenty of criticism. The calf injury that cut short his disappointing World Cup has now taken on a more terminal feel.
The three other uncapped players are the Wasps fly-half Danny Cipriani, Sale's scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth and the Leicester flanker Tom Croft.
The squad in full: Backs: I Balshaw (Gloucester), D Cipriani (Wasps), M Cueto (Sale Sharks), T Flood (Newcastle), A Gomarsall (Harlequins), C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), J Noon (Newcastle), P Richards (London Irish), P Sackey (Wasps), D Strettle (Harlequins), M Tait (Newcastle), M Tindall (Gloucester), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), J Wilkinson (Newcastle), L Vainikolo (Gloucester). Forwards: S Borthwick (Bath), T Croft (Leicester), G Chuter (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins), J Haskell (Wasps), B Kay (Leicester), L Mears (Bath), L Moody (Leicester), T Payne (Wasps), T Rees (Wasps), M Regan (Bristol), S Shaw (Wasps), A Sheridan (Sale Sharks), M Stevens (Bath), P Vickery (Wasps, capt), J Worsley (Wasps).
Use the feedback form below to submit your comments.
Use the form below to email this article to your friends.
- Erupting Volcano Kills Quins
- Types of Volcanoes
- Names of Active Volcanoes
- Facts About Mount Vesuvius
- World Famous Volcanoes
- Underwater Volcanoes: How are Underwater Volcanoes Formed?
- The Last Days of Pompeii
- Vesuvius
- Mount Kilauea Volcano - Hawaii Volcano
- Volcanic Eruptions: What Causes Volcanoes to Erupt
- How are Volcanoes Formed?
- When Water Bubbles Signal a Volcanic Big Bang
- Thousands Evacuated As Mayon Volcano Erupts
- Villagers Flee Biggest Eruption Yet From Mt Merapi
- Thousands at Risk From Major Eruption
- Quake Victims Could Be Left Without Basic Provisions for Months, Warns President
- Death Toll in Indonesia Earthquake Tops 3,000 Amid Fears Over Volcano
- Mud Volcanoes
- Relationship between Earthquakes and Volcanoes
- Paricutin Volcano: History and Facts
- Active Volcanoes in Europe
- Effects of Volcanoes
- Active Volcanoes in United States
- Famous Volcanoes of Mexico
- Volcanic Eruptions of Mount Vesuvius
- Mauna Loa – World's Largest Active Volcano
- Volcano Facts: What Makes a Volcano Erupt
- Difference between Volcano Magma and Volcano Lava