As Phil Vickery prepares to have surgery on Tuesday in an attempt to fulfil his World Cup dream, Simon Shaw finally gave Martin Johnson some positive news yesterday with the revelation that he could be fit to return for England against Argentina next month.

The giant lock has not played because of a foot injury since the Lions tour to South Africa in which he featured so prominently. But London Wasps said yesterday that the 36-year-old is almost certain to be ready to face Leeds Carnegie in the Guinness Premiership on Sunday, having recovered from the injury more quickly than expected.

The evergreen Shaw was omitted this week from England’s senior squad for the autumn series against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand as Johnson — who released Joe Worsley, Mike Tindall and David Barnes back to their clubs last night — sought second-row cover elsewhere. This he did in the shape of Richard Blaze and Ben Kay, who were allowed to return to Leicester on Tuesday.

But Tony Hanks, the Wasps director of rugby, said yesterday that if Shaw came through against Leeds — he is expected to start on the bench — and London Irish the weekend after, he would be ready to face the Pumas at Twickenham on November 14.

“He’s been working hard and looks ready to go,” Hanks said. “England will be looking at him. He hasn’t played since the Lions and they say you’re only as good as your last game, so he’s in a nice spot at the moment. Seeing him back in an England jersey would be great. With most players you’d say two games wouldn’t be enough, but Simon Shaw is not a normal player.

“If he comes through the next two weeks feeling like he’s ready, then you put him in because he’ll be ready.”

Hanks, who was surprised that George Skivington and Richard Birkett, his other lock forwards, had been overlooked by Johnson in his hour of need, played down reports that Danny Cipriani and Tom Varndell, the Wasps backs, were on the team manager’s blacklist because of perceived character flaws.

“The feedback I’ve had from England is that they were impressed with Tom,” Hanks said. “They thought he started the season well. Everything Danny’s done has been positive, too. He’s someone they could have considered at full back or fly half. In the conversations I’ve had with England there was no talk of a blacklist.”

Trevor Woodman, Hanks’s forwards coach, yesterday backed Vickery, his erstwhile England front-row colleague and one of his closest friends in the game, to make a full recovery from his latest setback. This will be his fourth operation on his neck or back in seven years. “Vicks has another long road ahead of him,” Woodman said. “But it is not as if he has not been in this situation before.”

The former loose-head, who joined Wasps this season, said that Vickery’s injury, which he suffered this month against Racing Métro, was not dissimilar to that which had seemingly ended Steve Thompson’s career before the England hooker made a successful comeback. Thompson, who completed England’s 2003 World Cup-winning front row between Woodman and Vickery, had a disc squashing his spine and the player said at the time that he was lucky still to be walking. He had an operation to remove the disc, returned his insurance payout and is now in Johnson’s elite squad.

“This [injury] doesn’t mean Phil’s career is under threat,” Woodman said. “Knowing him, after the operation he will be straight into recovery and soon itching to get back. Whatever target he sets himself, he will achieve it. He is very determined — that is why he has got back from his previous injuries. His desire to play rugby is extraordinary.”

Woodman knows better than most the impact of serious injury; he was forced to retire after the 2003 triumph with a chronic back problem. He spent ten months trying to recover but knew after four that it was a lost cause. Vickery is expected to be out for at least three months but wants to feature in the 2011 World Cup after captaining England to the final in France two years ago.

“Phil will leave a big hole for us and for England,” Woodman said. “There are not that many of his experience and ability around. He rarely plays a poor game but it is what he brings in terms of leadership which is so important. He is a wise old bugger.”