By Pranav Soneji

In a society where skeletal waifs monopolise the pages of salacious glossy rags, the world of rugby is refreshingly frank when it comes to bulk.

Not everything I do in the gym is necessarily about lifting heavy weights Tom Voyce

Girth is good. And the more the better.

So much so that the demands of professional back play dictate that speed alone does not guarantee a place on the pitch.

Tom Voyce - who has ousted Josh Lewsey as England's full-back for Saturday's Six Nations game against Ireland - used to be rugby's answer to the "glossy waifs", not that 87kgs (13st 7lbs) classifies as skeletal-like proportions for a 6ft winger.

He possessed speed in bundles, but when it came to mass, Voyce was lagging behind his larger rivals.

"I had to improve my game, especially my power and explosiveness," Voyce told BBC Sport.

"My frame was a little weak and in my mind, I needed to get bigger to make more of an impact on the pitch."

That was two-and-a-half years ago, when Voyce left Bath for English champions Wasps.

Since then Voyce has added almost 10kg (1.5st) of muscle, taking his weight to a hefty 96.6kg (15st 2lbs).

Voyce during his less heftier days at the Recreation Ground

The extra bulk helped propel him first into the England squad and then into the starting XV - in addition to being picked for the Ireland game he was also in the starting line-up for last month's Six Nations match in Italy.

"Joining Wasps definitely put me in the right direction," he said.

"I didn't have the intensity in training at Bath as I do now, so I was never really in the right frame of mind to go into the gym three times a week. But now I really enjoy it."

The physical gusto of Wasps' tactics gave Voyce the perfect platform to develop his power game, which he has worked on under the watchful eye of Lions fitness conditioner Craig White.

"I didn't want to overcomplicate my development. I wanted to get faster and improve my core strength," said Voyce.

"But not everything I do in the gym is necessarily about lifting heavy weights.

Voyce is hoping for a regular place in England's starting XV

"I aim for slightly less than the 80% maximum of what I can lift, but it's more about quick sets to attain that explosive power.

"Working on leg squats has helped me to keep my feet longer in a tackle.

"As a consequence I'm able to shrug off tackles I wasn't able to before, run in a slightly lower position and block tackles more effectively."

The extra power has led to an increase in base speed, giving Voyce an extra edge in the first five metres, so often the most crucial distance for wingers and full-backs.

And that bulk has helped him to barge his way into England's starting XV.