Phil Vickery has revealed the unlikely source of his ''only positive'' element to emerge from England's record RBS 6 Nations defeat in Dublin last Saturday - Brian O'Driscoll.

The Ireland captain offered words of encouragement to his shell-shocked opposite number as Vickery began absorbing a 43-13 Croke Park calamity, which surpassed England's previous worst championship beating by France 35 years ago.

France are next up for England on Sunday week, with Wasps prop Vickery retained as skipper in a 28-man training squad which also includes uncapped club colleague James Haskell, 35-year-old London Irish back Mike Catt and recalled Bath lock Steve Borthwick.

Vickery said: ''My only positive to come out of the weekend was when I was sat at the dinner afterwards. I was there with my wife, 'Dricco' and his girlfriend.

''He asked if I was all right, then said: 'Llook, I know this will sound silly, but I know what it feels like - I have been there.

'All you can do is try to move forward and motivate the guys and make sure that people believe in what you are doing'."

While O'Driscoll and company head to Edinburgh with the prospect of securing a second successive Six Nations Triple Crown, Vickery's team must try to stop title favourites France in their tracks.

Changes are anticipated in the England side - especially up front following Ireland's ruthless demolition job - but Vickery is not about to start whingeing.

He added: ''Regardless of what happens to me, I believe everyone involved with the England team wants success, and I will back them all the way.

''If I am part of that, then fantastic. If not, then I certainly won't be one of those people who cries in the paper and says how bad everything is. I just want England to do well.

''There will be some tough conversations next week. We all have to accept the criticism.

''I can put hand on heart and say I didn't come off the pitch last Saturday thinking I could have done any more. I worked as hard as I could work, and if that is not good enough, then fine.

''There is more pressure as captain, but I try not to let that affect me on the pitch, because if you perform then everything is easy.''

Haskell will join 21 of the players on duty last weekend when England report for duty in Bath on Sunday - injured Gloucester full-back Olly Morgan is the exception. The other additions are Catt, Borthwick, Mark Cueto, Jason Robinson, Tim Payne and Nick Easter.

Ashton intends monitoring the progress of wing Robinson (neck) and flanker Magnus Lund (concussion).

Haskell has impressed for Wasps this term. His representative career has seen him graduate from last season's Grand Slam-winning England Under-21 side to play for England Saxons against Italy A and Ireland A.

Bath captain Borthwick will put pressure on the second-row pairing of Louis Deacon and Danny Grewcock, and fit-again Sale Sharks wing Cueto could feature in England colours for the first time since Andy Robinson's last game as coach against South Africa.

With Morgan and his Gloucester colleague Iain Balshaw (groin) out of the running, Wasps' Josh Lewsey might find himself at full-back with Robinson, Cueto and David Strettle challenging for the wing berths.

England remain in the title shake-up, but defeat to France - a country they have not beaten since the 2003 World Cup semi-final triumph in Sydney - would render those hopes redundant.

England squad: Backs: J Lewsey (Wasps), J Robinson (Sale Sharks), M Cueto (Sale Sharks), D Strettle (Harlequins), M Tait (Newcastle), M Tindall (Gloucester), A Farrell (Saracens), M Catt (London Irish), J Wilkinson (Newcastle), T Flood (Newcastle), H Ellis (Leicester), S Perry (Bristol). Forwards: P Freshwater (Perpignan), P Vickery (Wasps, capt), J White (Leicester), T Payne (Wasps), G Chuter (Leicester), L Mears (Bath), L Deacon (Leicester), D Grewcock (Bath), S Borthwick (Bath), T Palmer (Wasps), N Easter (Harlequins), J Worsley (Wasps), J Haskell (Wasps), M Lund (Sale Sharks), T Rees (Wasps), M Corry (Leicester).