Not again! Cursed Billy breaks arm
Vunipola faces Six Nations KO
OSPREYS 15 SARACENS 15
BILLY VUNIPOLA has broken his forearm, sparking a back- row crisis for England with the Six Nations looming. It is a desperate blow for the Saracens No 8, who had only just returned from four months out with a knee injury.
He went for scans yesterday, with a nation and England head coach Eddie Jones hopeful the blow was more innocuous than it seemed, but last night Saracens confirmed the break.
Vunipola will see a specialist later this week, but he is almost certain to miss most — if not all — of the NatWest Six Nations, depending on the type of fracture.
He wrote on social media: ‘One of these days I might actually be able to play more than two games without breaking (no pun intended). I said it before and I’ll say again. God has a plan for me, it’s just hard having to be patient!’
A savage year for Vunipola began when he missed the best part of four months with a knee injury, suffered in the November 2016 match against Argentina. He was rushed back into the England fold for the Ireland Six Nations Grand Slam decider last March — Jones later admitting that was a bad gamble.
Next he required shoulder surgery and missed the Lions tour, set to be a crowning series for the back-rower. And on his return he tore the meniscus - in his knee in September, finally y returning to action only last Sunday y against Wasps.
So, this latest injury is a bitter pill to o swallow for England, Saracens and, d, of course, the man himself.
When tackling Osprey Rob McCusker r just before half-time, Vunipola suffered d a blow to his right forearm. He was then seen wincing, clearly in pain, and was forced to retreat out of the firing line.
That he then did not appear after the interval confirmed the bad news. Defence coach Alex Sanderson said on television that he and the club were ‘devastated’ and team-mate Jamie George was concerned, too.
‘The way that he performed in the first half, and last week in particular, he looked back to his best,’ he said. ‘We are at our best when we have him.’
Jones has a real problem now for the th Six Si Nations, N ti which hih England Eld begin on February 4 in Rome.
Nathan Hughes, Vunipola’s understudy, has a medial knee ligament issue that will see him miss at least the Italy, Wales and Scotland matches.
Jones believes his next option at the back of the scrum is Exeter’s 23-year-old tyro Sam Simmonds, but that would require England to change their style.
The Devonian is five stones lighter than Vunipola and Hughes, so while an excellent option, he will not provide the ball-carrying power to t smash hE England over the gain-line.
Someone who could fill that void is James Haskell — but the Wasps man all but scuppered his chances of a return after crunching Jamie Roberts and receiving a red card in the defeat by Harlequins on Saturday.
He will now be cited and — if guilty of a strike to the head — is likely to be banned for six weeks. With those players out, Maro Itoje or Courtney Lawes could move to England’s blindside flank to provide the required aggression. Luckily for Jones, Chris Robshaw’s back injury is a minor concern. He did not play against Wasps but his boss John Kingston is certain he will be fit for England.
Saracens have woe of their own after their underwhelming draw in Swansea. Qualification is now out of their hands.
The back-to-back Champions Cup winners know they must get a bonus-point win at home to Northampton next week, then hope Ospreys lose in Clermont so they can claim a best runners- up qualification spot.
A ‘gutted’ George highlighted the 46-14 surrender to the French in December as the pivotal pool loss.
‘That was the worst performance I have been involved with in a Saracens shirt,’ he said. ‘The Champions Cup is everything. The best memories I have in a Saracens shirt are winning those two finals.’