Raging Bull Vickery is banned again

Wasps hope their strict line will see tighthead prop Vickery, 31, receive a more sympathetic hearing when he goes before a European Rugby Cup disciplinary panel on Wednesday, when he could receive a ban of up to three weeks.

That would see the man they call Raging Bull miss three Guinness Premiership games over the Christmas period but would not affect England's Six Nations campaign, which kicks off against Wales on February 2.

The England captain's latest indiscretion comes three months after he was suspended for two games during the World Cup for tripping U.S.A. centre Paul Emerick in the opening pool game.

While Wasps prepare for their must-win clash at Adams Park, London Irish will confront Perpignan in the Catalan bear-pit of the Stade Aime Giral this afternoon as one of only two teams with a 100 per cent record in this season's Heineken Cup.

Having defeated their Pool 1 rivals from the Pyrenees at the Madejski Stadium last weekend, the Exiles are confident of securing a fourth win as another step towards the quarter- finals.

Yet Irish are expecting some turbulence. Perpignan were not best pleased to be the victims of what they regarded as heavy-handed, flawed officiating in Reading, with three players sent to the sin bin and a controversial penalty try awarded to the hosts.

They are showing no signs of taking the injustice lying down, especially because their fervently partisan supporters have been promised a home quarter-final in Barcelona this season. Brian Smith's men know they are likely to reap the whirlwind but still have faith in their own ability to cause a stir.

Smith said: "We face a completely different set of circumstances on Saturday. Perpignan have an exceptional home record in the competition and we know we will face as intimidating an atmosphere as any we have encountered in Europe.

"The key for us will be to go there and relax, play with plenty of width and if we get our noses in front and really play a running game then I think we could give them a lot of problems."

Irish have certainly been displaying their adventurous streak when the conditions have allowed it.

But Perpignan have lost at home only twice in the competition's history and have plenty of pedigree in the shape of Springbok World Cup-winner Percy Montgomery and the Scottish connection, lock Nathan Hines and Lions scrum half Chris Cusiter.