Vunipolas in injury blow
ENGLAND rugby head coach Eddie Jones was hit by a double blow yesterday as both Vunipola brothers picked up injuries in Saracens’ Heineken Champions Cup win against Glasgow. Jones is due to name his squad for the upcoming autumn internationals on Thursday, but he may have to do without prop Mako Vunipola, who suffered a left calf injury, and brother Billy, who injured his left arm.
ENGLAND’S plans for the November series are in turmoil after the Vunipola brothers both went off injured during this spiteful European encounter.
Eddie Jones is due to name his squad on Thursday for the Tests against South Africa, New Zealand, Japan and Australia. Billy and Mako Vunipola would have been certainties for the starting XV to face the Springboks on November 3 but now their participation is in grave doubt.
Mako was first to depart in the 22nd minute with strapping around his left ankle and was wearing a protective boot by the time Saracens left to return home. In the second half, younger brother Billy slowly hobbled off and was later seen with ice on his left arm. Last season, he suffered two fractures to his right arm.
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall said: ‘Mako has a calf injury but it’s too soon to say what the extent of it is. Billy has an arm injury but it’s not the same arm he injured before. Again, it is too soon to say how bad it is.’
That wasn’t the extent of the damage, with McCall adding: ‘Owen Farrell had a bang on his knee but he seemed fine after the game. Maro Itoje has broken his nose and Jamie George has broken his nose.’
Rookie England lock Nick Isiekwe also limped off, so victory came at a heavy price.
Losing both Vunipolas would be a savage setback for Jones. Not only would it deprive England of much ball-carrying clout, it would also leave them alarmingly short of established options at loosehead prop and No 8.
With Joe Marler having retired from international rugby and Leicester powerhouse Ellis Genge also out injured, Jones would have to consider Exeter’s Alec Hepburn for the No 1 shirt. The 25-year-old has made two appearances from the bench for England.
The crisis at No 8 is potentially worse. If Billy Vunipola is ruled out, Jones would be without his three primary specialists. The regular understudy, Wasps’ Nathan Hughes, is set to receive a long ban this week after being cited for punching Gloucester’s Lewis Ludlow. Exeter’s Sam Simmonds made a storming start to the season only to suffer a serious knee injury which has left him facing up to nine months of rehab.
There are few other out-and-out No 8s available to Jones, who has shown no desire to recall Ben Morgan from Gloucester, so he is likely to consider a stand-in from his large pool of flankers, with Brad Shields one obvious candidate with relevant experience.
Put aside the implications for England and this was a tempestuous contest. Glasgow defended tenaciously and aggressively, just as Saracens often do.
The Scots rattled the visitors, who made a lot of errors but showed the resolve to hold firm for an away win which was founded on Michael Rhodes’ early try — one which could easily have been chalked off when Alex Lozowski went into touch before offloading.
There was so much bad blood and tension. This was a match which yielded more fights than points. Farrell and Ryan Wilson, who clashed in the tunnel at Murrayfield before the Calcutta Cup showdown last season, were in the midst of one scuffle, while Itoje played the antagonist in familiar fashion by mocking Glasgow’s celebration of a disallowed ‘try’ just before half-time.
‘Itoje pushes the boundaries,’ said the hosts’ head coach Dave Rennie of the man of the match.
Plenty were doing that in this clash and it would be no surprise if several citings arise as a result. But McCall with satisfied with his side’s — legitimate — fighting qualities: ‘ It wasn’t our best performance,’ he said. ‘But it was a very important win and I’m pleased with how we scrapped.’