Minns given return date
Vunipola: Biggest battle will be regaining faith in my body after the injuries, but I’ll be even better
SHAMED Aussie star Cameron Bancroft hit a first half-century since his nine month ball tampering ban. He got
59 as Perth Scorchers beat the Melbourne Stars by six wickets in the Big Bash. FORMER Leeds, London Broncos and Hull KR centre Thomas Minns will be free to resume his career in July after being handed a 16-month doping ban.
Minns, 24, tested positive for cocaine last March.
Tears cartilage in right knee and misses nearly all of 2017 Six Nations.
Withdraws from Lions tour to NZ for treatment on damaged shoulder.
Surgery on the meniscus in the same knee rules him out for three months.
Breaks right arm against Ospreys two games into his return from knee surgery.
Suffers recurrence of the fracture in England’s second Test loss to South Africa in Bloemfontein. Requires surgery. ENGLAND’S bulldozing star Billy Vunipola says he will be better than ever – once he gets over his fear of playing rugby again.
Vunipola makes his second start on Saturday since breaking his arm for the third time in 10 months.
He is hoping that a diet of milk, cheese and vitamin tablets has strengthened his bones.
Two years ago, Vunipola saw former England team-mate Joe Marler recover within a month from a broken leg by daily drinking two pints of full-cream milk. He blames a lack of sun for “really low” vitamin D levels, but nobody other than himself for believing he was invincible. “My arms feel good, they are strapped up and protected now,” said the No.8. “Last week, I was tentative and anxious, I think God wanted me to be afraid.
“It’s a good thing to have that fear as I didn’t have it before. I guess it came down to being complacent – too confident I would be all right, to the point of feeling invincible. That’s why I got injured again.
“You don’t know it’s happening until you realise how much you rate yourself. Now I’ll keep my head down and work hard.”
Saracens boss Mark McCall agreed Vunipola was not his usual self on his return at Sale last week.
“Ordinarily, he comes back with a storming performance, but this time it was a bit more tentative,” said the Ulsterman.
Understandable, given his recent history, which cost his Lions dream and two years of England caps.
But Vunipola, 26, insists his ambition is greater than ever and, after three full games, he will have the confidence to open up.
“I don’t just want to be fit, I want to be fit and really good,” he said. “I don’t want to be the same player – I want to be better.”
English rugby will cross its fingers, given Vunipola’s admission that the sport is becoming more “brutal”.
An RFU report yesterday revealed that Eddie Jones’ training sessions are twice as likely to leave England players injured – and keep them on the sidelines five times longer than normal.
RFU caretaker boss Nigel Melville said: “International rugby is played at a greater intensity, so training is at a greater intensity – and we’re trying to manage that transition.”