The Volcano is desperate to get a Bulls shirt on again for a new season of eruptions.

After a winter break spent visiting friends and family in Australia and New Zealand, Lesley Vainikolo can't wait to get back into action at the Jungle on Friday.

After a gruelling warm-weather training camp in Portugal, the Bulls travel to Castleford for their opening game of their homecoming season.

"We all just want to get our jerseys on and play," said Vainikolo, returning to the scene of his try-scoring debut.

"They have worked us pretty hard on camp but the team is very close now.

"We have really bonded and all the guys are feeling pretty together. We just want to get out there and play some rugby.

"This might only be a friendly but we will taking it real serious. You set your standards in the opening game and our standards are going to be high this year."

The Tongan youngster arrived in England last year to a fanfare of publicity but his season was blighted by a series of leg injuries limiting him to 17 games and only 11 tries.

But this year he is hoping to repeat his good start and

follow it up with consistency all year.

"It was pretty tough for me last year," added the Volcano, whose stop-start season robbed him of a place in Gary Freeman's New Zealand Test team.

"I had a lot of bad luck with injuries but this year my goal is to get through the season without any problems.

"I have had a year to settle in and now I want to give the fans what they deserve. We are a stronger team and we are going to be difficult to beat."