Vunipola stars but says he is still ‘a bit rusty’
Billy Vunipola’s physical wounds may have healed, but his prolonged injury problems have clearly left psychological scars on the man England fans are praying will remain 100 per cent fighting fit going into next year’s World Cup.
The Saracens strongman produced a try-scoring, man-of-thematch display in the victory over Harlequins, then admitted being “a bit rusty” less than four weeks before South Africa visit Twickenham for the first of the four autumn home games.
However, as the big No 8 prepares for another crucial and bruising seven weeks of European and international action for club and country, he has a few mental issues over his much-battered and repaired body.
His legs and arms appeared to be working perfectly well on Saturday, but Vunipola admitted: “I am getting my form back and to being where I want to be, but I still feel a bit rusty. There’s still a little way to go, but we’ve got some very big and tough games coming up in Europe before I can think about what might happen with England.
“I have not played for so long on a regular basis and now I don’t know the difference between a niggle and an actual injury. My body is sore, but I like that because I began to miss that feeling.
“My wrist is hurting, but I don’t think it is serious. I think it is a niggle. My knee is sore, but that’s also just a niggle, too. I just don’t how to differentiate when I feel some pain or something is not right.
“I will be fine for next weekend, hopefully, if I am picked after that try celebration.”
Vunipola, however, insists he is loving the aggression and intensity of life back on the field and hopes the forthcoming European contests with Glasgow and Lyon will be played in a similar feisty, spicy manner to the hard-fought victory over a very pumped-up Quins.
The forward hopes he may have sparked off a trend in rugby with his surprise admittance to the referee, Luke Pearce, that he had not scored a first-half try at the Stoop.
Having realised he had dropped the ball in trying to ground it over the line, he turned to the official and told him so.
It was a gesture which not everybody in the Sarries camp appreciated with the game so tense and tight, but Vunipola said: “I told the referee I’d knocked it on. I felt bad because I had dropped the ball. I wasn’t trying to be a hero because they would have probably caught it on TV, but I was just trying to save time.
“I’m a fan too, and I don’t like it when players claim they have scored a try and try and milk it when they know they haven’t.”
Eddie Jones would have left the Stoop heartened by the performances of his main England men with the four Twickenham games on the horizon; Vunipola’s display, Owen Farrell’s superb seven-outof-eight kicking performance and the likes of Mike Brown, Chris Robshaw, Danny Care and co proving their form.
Sarries enter another European campaign flying high domestically on the same number of points as leaders Exeter Chiefs after their sixth successive win of the season, while Quins face Agen in the Challenge Cup on Saturday in buoyant mood despite another loss and the old problem of consistency.
Scrum-half Care, who finished with mixed emotions on his 250th appearance for the club having scored a fine interception try, said: “It was a special day for me and Browny.
“We always say you are lucky to play one game for this club, so to be running out with my son on my 250th was pretty amazing.
“We didn’t get the result, but the performance was good. I feel sharp and there’s a lot more miles in the tank left. I’m loving my rugby and I feel we are not really far off as a team to really clicking.
“There are a lot of positives to take forward into Europe. It may not be the competition we want to be in, but we are very keen to try and win the trophy. We just need to get the consistency right and, if we play like we did against Saracens, we will be fine.”
That sentiment was laudable, but some of a Harlequins persuasion were rather more of the opinion that they had thrown away what would have been a fourth successive home win over the champions.
“We were there,” said hooker Max Crumpton. “We had the win in our sights and one hand on it. But a few little mistakes and we have come away with a loss. So it is very frustrating.
“Saracens are champions for a reason, they have beaten everyone this season – but they have got away with one here.”