Jones waits for news on Vunipola’s ankle injury

MAKO VUNIPOLA was due to have a scan yesterday on the ankle he injured during Sunday’s win over France, but England are hopeful that their influential prop has not sustained serious damage. Saracens’ 28-year-old Lions loosehead was forced off early in the second half at Twickenham, as England swept to a 44-8 victory over their hapless Gallic rivals. There will be no official update until after the squad reconvene tomorrow in London to start the countdown to facing Wales in Cardiff on February 23. However, it is understood that the problem may not be as serious as was first feared. Another of England’s Saracens contingent, lock Maro Itoje, was back at the club doing rehabilitation work yesterday. He is seeking to make a rapid recovery from a knee ligament injury and remains on track to rejoin England later in their Guiness Six Nations campaign. A momentous encounter lies ahead for Eddie Jones’s squad against Wales — who are on an 11-Test winning streak — which will go a long way to deciding the outcome of this year’s title contest. ‘They’ve had a good run, haven’t they?’ said England scrum-half Ben Youngs. ‘It’s going to be a great two weeks. ‘This is what the championship is about. There are always certain games it comes down to. We are going to embrace it.’ Youngs believes that England are becoming a more consistent side, adding an extra dimension in attack. ‘English rugby is about set-piece and a physical defence,’ he said. ‘Then you need some gold dust in the back line to unlock teams and Elliot Daly, Henry Slade and Jonny May have been able to do that.’