World Cup winner Mike Tindall has backed Lesley Vainikolo's surprise selection for the England RBS 6 Nations squad.

After drafting the 28-year-old former New Zealand rugby league international into his party, England head coach Brian Ashton could now go the whole hog and hand 'The Volcano' a starting place - just nine games and nine tries into his Gloucester career - against Wales at Twickenham on February 2.

And Tindall, who has made Ashton's 32-man group after missing the 2007 World Cup campaign through injury, believes juggernaut wing Vainikolo will be up to the task.

Tindall said: "People often say statistics don't mean everything, but normally with Lesley's stats they are the important ones - the stats and the tries.

"I think he could hold himself on any field with any players.

"It's just the commitment and his attitude to how you play rugby is what you want. I think he will fit right in."

Vainikolo, who claimed 149 touchdowns in 152 games for Bradford Bulls, joined Guinness Premiership leaders Gloucester on a lucrative contract last summer.

He had previously played rugby union as a youngster in Auckland.

Grievous family problems in New Zealand, though, twice forced him home either side of Christmas.

He is currently 12,000 miles away and will miss Gloucester's crucial Heineken Cup clash against the Ospreys on Saturday.

But the 6ft 2ins wing, who weighs in at almost 18 stone, has received a huge fillip with his selection in a squad that includes fellow uncapped players Danny Cipriani, Richard Wigglesworth and Tom Croft.

Rob Andrew, the Rugby Football Union's elite rugby director, is untroubled by those traditionalists who might question Vainikolo's selection.

He said: "This is not the first time it has happened, and it won't be the last, in England or around the world.

"The reality is we don't set the regulations. The regulations are set by the IRB.

"This guy is playing in England, he is eligible for England and he wants to play for England. Then it becomes a straight selection issue.

"We have the other issue around developing our own players and our own coaches, which is the responsibility of the union (RFU).

"The (England) Saxons squad is full of very talented young England players, half of whom have already been capped.

"There is a huge amount of working going on, and it is our job to build on that and ensure we have the very best players who are eligible for England playing for England."

Tonga-born Vainikolo has New Zealand parents, and he qualifies for England on residency grounds.

Ashton added: "I am as big a rugby league fan as I am a rugby union fan. I have seen him play for the last few seasons with the Bradford Bulls.

"When he switched to union it was interesting to see whether he would take time to adjust to the game.

"It has not quite been a seamless transition, but it has not been far off because he has played the game before. He has been a seriously good addition to the Gloucester team.

"If you are playing in the wider channels, it is probably easier to convert than if you are closer to the action all the time, but the fact of the matter is he has played rugby union before. It is not a new game to him."

And England are not expecting any red-tape issues to strangle prospects of an early Vainikolo Test debut.

"We are waiting for one piece of final confirmation, from the Tongan Rugby Union, that he hasn't played any representative rugby at any level for them," said Andrew.

"Lesley has signed a declaration saying he hasn't.

"He has done his 36 months (of residency) comfortably, and he has been here six years. From an eligibility point of view we are very happy.

"He has applied for a British passport, and he will get it at some time in March or April, but that is irrelevant from an International Rugby Board eligibility point of view."

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