Delon Armitage believes a small metal pin in his left foot has kept his England dream alive after fears he had broken his foot again following an outstanding series of matches in the November series of internationals.

Armitage fractured the fifth metartasal bone in his foot last summer and needed surgery to insert the pin which helped the bone recover and allow the 25-year-old to make his England debut against the Pacific Islanders. He remained in the No15 jersey for all four Tests, but then hurt his foot in London Irish's home Guinness Premiership over Gloucester on 20 December.

He was forced to take a six-week break from rugby to allow the irritation around the old injury to heal and expects to play his first full match since the set-back for league leaders Irish against second placed Gloucester tomorrow - just a week before his Six Nations debut against Italy at Twickenham.

The majority of England fans would have wrapped Armitage in cotton wool in the build up to the Italy match, given his outstanding form during an otherwise desperately disappointing November Test series, but the London Irish back needs game time.

He was sent back from England's training camp in Portugal this week to face Gloucester in what team manager Martin Johnson knows is a calculated risk with one of his key players.

Armitage, who has been joined in the England elite squad by brother Steffon, said: "I broke the fifth metatarsal last summer and by keeping the pin in the bone, it saved me from breaking it again and having to undergo another operation. The area around the bone became irritated and so I needed to take a six-week break, but I played for 40 minutes against Rovigo in Italy last weekend and now I am looking forward to what is going to be a really tough match at Gloucester.

"The foot felt really good against Rovigo and I have been doing all of my rehabilitation and we know that Gloucester will be hungry for revenge after we beat them earlier this season. They will be really coming at us."

Armitage (right) is desperate to hold onto the England No15 jersey after making such an immediate impact, although he will be playing wing against Gloucester to highlight his versatility.

"I would love to play in the Six Nations and there is still a lot of hurt after the defeats we suffered in November," added Armitage. "We want to out and show the fans what we can produce."

England lock Nick Kennedy has also been asked to get some game time under his belt before the Italy match and is by some way the best line out operator available to team manager Johnson.

Kennedy is more athletic than England captain Steve Borthwick and makes more of an impact around the pitch, as he will try to demonstrate against the combative Gloucester pack.

Harlequins, basking in the glory of being London's only representatives in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals are without their England men at home to Northampton tomorrow but welcome back David Strettle to the match squad. The England flyer has undergone three operations in quick succession due to a metatarsal problem of his own. For now, he is part of what Dean Richards, the Quins director of rugby, hopes will be a consistent force in the Premiership.

Richards explained: "Consistency in the Premiership is even more important to me than in the Heineken Cup - if we can achieve both, it would be even better.

"Northampton haven't won an away premiership match so far this season but they are a side who could cause us a number of problems. They have a semi-final place in the EDF Energy Cup and have reached the quarter finals of the Challenge Cup. After beating us in December at Franklin's Gardens, they will be looking to do the double.

"It's great to have David Strettle available for selection, along with Alex Rogers who is back in training after being injured in October against London Irish."