WASPS star Phil Vickery will miss today's Six Nations match between England and Italy after illness ruled him out.

Vickery, who was set to captain the side, had been struggling with a calf injury all week but passed a fitness test which would have enabled him to feature in today's match at the Stadio Flaminio in Rome.

But he has since been laid low with a stomach bug, meaning he misses out as England look to bounce back from an opening-day defeat to Wales.

Bath's Matt Stevens takes Vickery's place in the side, with the captaincy passing to Steve Borthwick.

The match kicks off at 2.30pm.