Lesley Vainikolo aims to have a greater role during England's Six Nations match away to Italy on Sunday after suffering a frustrasting debut coming off the bench against Wales.

The Tonga-born wing, starting in Rome in place of David Strettle, who is out with a broken foot, had only been on the field a matter of minutes when he helped create a try for Toby Flood.

But the former New Zealand rugby league international became an increasingly peripheral figure in the second-half where Wales overturned a 13-point deficit to win 26-19 and so triumph at Twickenham for the first time in 20 years.

"I definitely want to get my hands on the ball more this time," Vainikolo said. "In league you expect to touch the ball 20-25 times a game. In union it could a maximum of around 10."

Vainikolo, called up into the England squad just nine games into his senior union career with Gloucester, the club he joined from Bradford at the start of this season, knows that one way for him to become more involved is to come in off his wing if the ball isn't moving out wide.

At 6ft 2in tall and over 17 stones, the man nickmamed 'The Volcano' is well-suited for a role as an additional midfield back against an Italy side that made Ireland work hard for a 16-11 win in Dublin during their Six Nations opener last weekend. "Iain Balshaw and Mike Tindall always push me in at Gloucester and that's what I love to do," he said.

Last weekend he received a warm reception from the Twickenham crowd the moment he went onto the field. "The cheer I got from the people was a massive lift," he said. "From then on I was thinking 'Man, these people love you'."

Balshaw, retained at full-back in an injury-hit side, said it was important World Cup finalists England made the most of Vainikolo's talents.

"When he put Toby over you could see how skilful he is considering how powerful he is. We hope to use him more - use him when we need to.

"I am sure we will. It was frustrating that we didn't last Saturday, but hopefully he can do it on the international stage like he does at Gloucester - and also create space for the rest of us."