Big Billy set to raise his game
ENGLAND expect Billy Vunipola to be available for their World Cup quarter-final against Australia in Oita on Saturday — and are hoping he will raise his game for the occasion.
The 26-year- old back-row forward suffered a twisted ankle in the Pool C victory over Argentina on October 5 and is striving to regain full fitness in time to face the Wallabies.
England coach Eddie Jones is due to name his side tomorrow morning and the latest indications are that the younger Vunipola brother will be ready to take his place at the base of the scrum.
‘Billy is progressing really well,’ said John Mitchell, England’s defence coach, after the imposing Saracens forward took part in a training session here. Asked to rate his chances of being cleared for the Australia game, Mitchell added: ‘Very likely.’
The recovery of one of England’s world-class assets would be a huge boost. ‘He is a very important player to us and a very likeable player as well,’ Mitchell said.
One of big Billy’s more likeable qualities is his honesty — and he has admitted that he has not been in prime form so far in this tournament.
While he has been heavily involved, he has not been the dominant ball- carrying force of nature that he has been so often in the past.
It appears that he is having to adapt his approach, to cope with being contained better by defences. ‘He’s going well, but knowing him, he will want to play better,’ said Mitchell, whose remit includes mentoring England’s back-rowers.
‘He’s having to make a couple of little adjustments in his game, because players start to read you in terms of what you do. That’s really good awareness from him, to make those adjustments.’
One theory is that Vunipola — while still a huge, powerful man — has lost too much weight during the gruelling World Cup training camp phase. Mitchell refuted any such notion, while admitting that was an issue during the Six Nations earlier this year.
Now, though, Mitchell said, ‘I think he’s at a very optimal body weight.’
He added: ‘ The last campaign, his weight loss was too extreme, whereas at the minute he’s fine. He’s done very well in pre-season but we’ve tried to keep him at his right body weight rather than a weight which is manufactured and unnatural for him. If he loses too much weight, it’s not ideal for him.’
Despite Vunipola’s status as a stalwart of the England pack and one of the country’s pre-eminent players, Mitchell was adamant he would ‘ have to be 100 per cent’ fit to be considered for a game of this magnitude.
While there is optimism that he can reach that target — after he ran, boxed, cycled and wrestled in training — there are contingency plans at No 8 on the off- chance that he falls short.
‘Tom Curry has the ability to play there, as well as Mark Wilson,’ Mitchell said.
‘Lewis Ludlam can play No 8 but the two likely guys are Curry and Wilson. Should Billy not be available, you have Lawes (who can operate at blindside) and you have the three back-rowers: Wilson, Underhill and Curry. We have those selections at our hand and we just have to make the right decision tactically for this game.’