Phil Vickery is backing his London Wasps team-mate Tim Payne to deliver the goods when England take on Italy in Rome on Sunday.

And the England captain is warning that it may not be ‘pretty rugby’ at the Stadio Flaminio as Brian Ashton’s side look to bounce back from their second half collapse against Wales.

Payne replaces the injured Andrew Sheridan and Vickery said: “The Italians have a very good pack of forwards but in Tim Payne we’ve got someone who’s not going to let us down, he gives us 110% every time he goes out.

“Last week I was disappointed like everyone else. But I was pleased with the way the team played. I don’t want losing the game to destroy any of the good things that we did in the game - and there were a lot of them.

“Italy have a new coach, they’re well drilled and they are passionate. I’m not saying it’s not going to be pretty rugby but we need 100% performance and we need to win the game of rugby, first and foremost.”