"It's your worst nightmare when you are out injured, but it is something you have got to accept and get on with. The shoulder problem was on-going, and had to be sorted out.
Vickery has reclaimed his England front-row place after missing the successful summer tour of South Africa to undergo shoulder surgery.
The game provides Vickery with an ideal opportunity to erase memories of England's darkest day - that infamous 76-0 drubbing by the Wallabies on 6 June 1998.
The 11-try horror show launched England's so-called tour to hell.
They lost all seven matches on a southern hemisphere trip that also included Tests against New Zealand and South Africa.
Only five of that England team start this weekend - Vickery, Matt Perry, Austin Healey, Jonny Wilkinson and Danny Grewcock.
Defeat
Vickery admits the defeat at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium still plays on his mind and he would like nothing more than to beat the Aussies.
Since then, Australia have gone on to claim the sport's ultimate prize for a second time in eight years. But Vickery believes a world class performance from England will be enough to topple the Wallabies.
After that shoulder operation, not playing for five months and now replacing England's tight-head in South Africa Julian White, the 24-year-old is raring to go.
"It is a good feeling to be back. When I had an operation in the summer, the prospect of playing against Australia at Twickenham in November seemed a long way away," he said.
Chance
"But I have been given a chance to prove myself, and it is up to me to go out there and do that now.
"It's your worst nightmare when you are out injured, but it is something you have got to accept and get on with. The shoulder problem was on-going, and had to be sorted out.
"And it was difficult for me at the start of this season while I slowly got my confidence back.
"But things have been going reasonably well with Gloucester, and it is an extra bonus for me to be back in the England team," he said.
"Australia possess a very good scrum - they've not achieved what they have without one - and it's up to us to throw down the challenge.
"They are world champions, and we've got to go out and try and beat them.
He added: "A Test match at Twickenham is always special, but with it being Australia and their tag of world champions, there's a bit of extra bite."