Lesley Vainikolo could not, even in his wildest dreams, have expected an England recall this side of doomsday – current evidence suggests that Martin Johnson, the national manager, is about as interested in his services as he is in the finer points of origami – but the outsized wing from Tonga via New Zealand might reasonably have anticipated a decent run for Gloucester as they continue to fight on three fronts. Sadly for the man they call "the Volcano", that too has been denied him. He underwent surgery on a ruptured Achilles tendon on Monday night and will lie dormant for the rest of the season.

It's one of the oldest, most treasured traditions in rugby. The Lions are here again and the bandwagon has begun to roll towards South Africa, 2009.

Removing the selfishness of a ‘me not we’ attitude in rugby union should be paramount among the game’s priorities for 2009, IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset has said.

Does Martin Johnson, always England rugby's go-to man in his playing days, subscribe to the Oscar Wilde school of thought on the topic of leadership? The disingenuous might suggest as much.

Danny Cipriani may be closer to agreeing a deal to stay on at Wasps, but if he continues to present opponents with soft tries by having crucial clearance kicks charged down then he may find himself having to reduce his wage demands by a significant amount.