Phil Vickery: England are in safe hands with Pocklington's Rob Webber

A LOT has been made of England’s lack of depth in the hooking department but according to World Cup winner Phil Vickery, Stuart Lancaster’s tournament hopes are in safe hands with Pocklington's Rob Webber.

The omission of Northampton’s Dylan Hartley for disciplinary reasons in June robbed Lancaster of a man with 50 caps for England and left only Tom Youngs as a matchday regular from recent seasons.

Since featuring against New Zealand last summer, though, Webber has been a consistent selection for Lancaster but fears exist that England would be hopelessly exposed at hooker in the World Cup if Youngs gets injured.

Vickery is not one of those doubters and in Youngs, Bath star Webber and youthful Saracen Jamie George, he’s convinced England have a nice blend at their disposal and feels they have all the ammunition required to challenge at the World Cup.

“No player should be guaranteed an England start in any squad and that’s why it’s important for Rob Webber and Jamie George to challenge Tom Youngs,” said Vickery, who is encouraging people to show their support of children’s rugby franchise, Rugbytots, as they take to the roads to tackle their impressive World Cup Bike Ride, raising vital funds for Wooden Spoon – the children’s charity of rugby.

“They need to put him under pressure and really battle internally for that England jersey – it helps to improve performances.

“You need healthy competition, even at club level, no one should ever think that they just go back and get back in.

“I think that battle has asked a lot of questions and I think for Rob to be in this rugby World Cup squad answers the question.

“Is he ready and is he competitive, does he really want it and I think the answer is a resounding yes personally.

“He’s a hugely talented guy and I think he’s someone that could have an impact on this England team in future years as well, which is exciting.

“I don’t want to get into that scenario of 'the next World Cup is England’s World Cup' because I don’t believe in that, I think it’s right here, right now and I actually think this England team could do really well.

“I don’t want to use that excuse of we’re not quite there yet, we haven’t got that much experience because for me that’s rubbish.

“It’s about performing and if you can use this home platform as an inspiration and something that can actually push you to that next level."

* If you’d like to sponsor the riders, who over four gruelling days of cycling, took in iconic stadiums in England and Wales who’ll play host to Rugby World Cup matches visit www.justgiving.com/teams/rugbytots For more information about who Wooden Spoon support, visit www.woodenspoon.org.uk