Ashton Backs Volcanic Vainikolo to Turn Up the Heat

For more than a decade England have sought their own version of Jonah Lomu and the incredible hulk of their dreams duly materialized yesterday. Lesley Vainikolo not only shares Lomu's Tongan heritage but has the thigh circumference and pace to match. Little wonder Brian Ashton looked so perky after including the 28-year-old Gloucester wing in his 32-man squad for the forthcoming Six Nations Championship.

It matters not, apparently, that Vainikolo does not yet have a British passport, has represented New Zealand at rugby league, has played only seven 15-a-side games in England and is currently on the other side of the world attending to a serious family matter. But size matters in the modern union game and England are clearly impatient for "The Volcano" to start rumbling at Twickenham.

The prospect of a Tongan wing representing multicultural England in 2008 should be a much smaller deal than it feels. Even so, there is an element of indecent haste about Vainikolo's elevation. Rob Andrew, the Rugby Football Union's director of elite rugby, has not even received formal word from the Tongan Rugby Union that Vainikolo has never played at representative level for the Sea Eagles, which would make him ineligible to play for England. Assuming that clearance is given, six years' residency means the former Bradford Bull is eligible under International Rugby Board rules and England are free to select him.

Ashton, as a committed rugby league fan, knows precisely what he is getting. Vainikolo scored 149 tries in 152 games for the Bulls and he already has nine tries in his short career at Kingsholm.

"I first saw him five years ago and there was a bit of a 'wow' factor then," revealed Ashton, dismissing speculation the big man's knees are not in the greatest shape. "I know what he can do. He's got the X-factor and you don't see too many English wingers of 6ft 2in and 18st. I think you should talk to the guys who have got to play against him and see how dodgy they think his knees are going to be."

The next priority will be teaching Vainikolo the words to God Save The Queen before the Wales game on February 2. That is unlikely to be lost on Josh Lewsey, the man edged out of the squad in favour of the new arrival. Lewsey is as patriotic as they come and was last seen on an international field scoring the try which helped England reach the World Cup final. He is in Canada getting married this weekend and will view Ashton's insistence he still has an England future with a large pinch of salt.

Given that Vainikolo is making his second trip to New Zealand in as many months on urgent family business, there is an argument that Ashton should have postponed his entrance to ensure his mental readiness for the Six Nations. Discreet approaches to the player just before Christmas, however, revealed a strong desire to play for England and Ashton believes the fast-track treatment will be fully justified. "He's not only a powerhouse footballer, this guy is an intelligent player as well. He's a pretty good all-round package."

Not everyone has been so lucky. As well as Lewsey and the four recent retirees - Jason Robinson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Mike Catt and Martin Corry - there are four further omissions from the original squad for last autumn's World Cup. Andy Farrell and Perry Freshwater have been superseded by Toby Flood and Tim Payne, whereas Dan Hipkiss makes way for the returning Mike Tindall. The presence of Charlie Hodgson ahead of Olly Barkley, however, involves non-rugby reasons.

The official line is that Barkley, who has been charged with assault following an alleged brawl at a wedding in Buckinghamshire last summer, has been left out to allow him to concentrate on a commital hearing on February 11. "It falls in the middle of the competition and we don't know what the outcome's going to be," explained Andrew. This policy would appear to run contrary to the English assumption of innocence until guilt is proven, although Ashton sees it differently. "It's not a punishment in any shape or form. It's a difficult decision but I've made it now and I'm comfortable with it."

The inclusions of the uncapped Wasps fly-half Danny Cipriani and the Leicester flanker Tom Croft, meanwhile, are to be applauded and Ashton also dismissed suggestions that he had considered removing the captain's armband from Phil Vickery. The head coach wants England to play more ambitious rugby but continues to regard experience in the front five as crucial. Never again, though, can an Englishmen whinge about the All Blacks poaching South Sea talent.

The 32 men joining forces for England's Six Nations Championship campaign

The undroppables (at least for the Six Nations)

Steve Borthwick

Bath

Age 28 Caps 32

Handy to have up your sleeve if the lineout starts to falter. Had only limited opportunities in France.

Nick Easter

Harlequins

Age 29 Caps 12

England's back-row rock in France last autumn. Has been around for a while but the Killers' fan is hardly worn.

James Haskell

Wasps Age 22 Caps 2

And someone for the future. Named in the original World Cup training squad, he should have gone to France.

Lewis Moody

Leicester Age 29 Caps 52

The Ascot-born Tiger silenced a few doubters in France when England needed a brave open-side flanker.

Simon Shaw

Wasps Age 34 Caps 43

England need the ball-playing lock to hang around on the scene until the next generation shows its hand.

Andrew Sheridan

Sale Age 28 Caps 20

Still learning his craft but the near-19st prop was the man every side feared during the 2007 World Cup. Ask Australia.

Matt Stevens

Bath Age 25 Caps 20

Surely he will not be starting on the bench for much longer. Growing into the model of a modern front-row forward.

Mark Cueto

Sale Age 28 Caps 24

Brave comeback by the Sharks full-back after looking down and out during the early World Cup rounds.

Toby Flood

Newcastle

Age 22 Caps 12

Mature and intelligent in France in the autumn, the young Falcon should be around for years to come.

Andy Gomarsall

Harlequins

Age 33 Caps 33

Hard to drop one of the heroes of France 2007 who started as second choice but became key to England's revival.

Charlie Hodgson

Sale Age 27 Caps 29

Still the best distributor in the Guinness Premiership, but the Sharks fly-half will have to watch his back.

Paul Sackey

Wasps Age 28 Caps 10

Not a certain starter but the London-born wing has a habit of scoring tries when England are in desperate need.

David Strettle

Harlequins Age 24 Caps 3

Exciting wing - and outside-centre - who would have gone to France last autumn but for a broken foot.

Mathew Tait

Newcastle Age 21 Caps 19

The answer to England's full-back headaches, as he showed against the South Africans in Paris.

Mike Tindall

Gloucester Age 29 Caps 54

The England centre stalwart is playing some of his best rugby since 2003 and could have been named as captain.

Jonny Wilkinson

Newcastle Age 28 Caps 65

The "Jonny factor" is enough for now, but a return to form with the boot would help the red-rose cause.

The short-term fixes (not for 2011)

George Chuter

Leicester Age 31 Caps 19

Lost out in battle to start at hooker in France and may have to play second fiddle again to Mark Regan.

Ben Kay

Leicester Age 32 Caps 53

Playing in a third World Cup tournament in three years' time looks a bridge too far for the Liverpool-born lock.

Lee Mears

Bath Age 28 Caps 18

The hooker will find it difficult to hold off London Irish's David Paice and Northampton's Dylan Hartley.

Mark Regan

Bristol Age 35 Caps 43

Try pointing out to the hooker after his staggering World Cup performances in France that he is 36 this month.

Phil Vickery, captain

Wasps Age 31 Caps 60

Body suffering from a decade of Tests and Matt Stevens will press for No3 shirt. Also watch out for Jason Hobson.

Joe Worsley

Wasps Age 30 Caps 65

Veteran of three World Cups has not played much rugby recently and a long queue is forming for back-row places.

Iain Balshaw

Gloucester Age 28 Caps 30

Reborn at Gloucester, but the former Bath full-back is lucky to get another chance after a series of recent injuries.

Jamie Noon

Newcastle Age 28 Caps 27

Written off so many times but this may really be the Falcons centre's last fling at international level.

Peter Richards

London Irish Age 29 Caps 12

World Cup supersub who benefited from lack of competition, playing in six of England's seven games.

The future (World Cup dreams)

Tom Croft

Leicester Age 22 Caps 0

Look out for a back-row partnership with James Haskell before the end of the Six Nations. Mouthwatering.

Louis Deacon

Leicester Age 27 Caps 6

The Leicester-born lock made his England debut against Samoa in 2005 but is not yet an obvious Test pick.

Tim Payne

Wasps Age 28 Caps 5

Hard-working prop who has grown in stature since finding a regular place in the Wasps front row.

Tom Rees

Wasps Age 23 Caps 8

Still to replicate at Test level his game-changing deeds in the Guinness Premiership and Heineken Cup.

Danny Cipriani

Wasps Age 20 Caps 0

The form English fly-half of the season so far, but this bright, young talent still needs careful handling.

Richard Wigglesworth

Sale Age 24 Caps 0

Blackpool-born scrum-half gets better each season and was "next in line" for the 2007 World Cup.

Lesley Vainikolo

Gloucester Age 28 Caps 0

Possibly ready already in Ashton's mind. Raw power and regular try-scorer in league and now union.