>> Vunipolas in contract talks
SARACENS have opened talks with England international brothers Billy and Mako Vunipola in a bid to keep them at Allianz Park beyond the end of next season.
The brothers, who were raised in Wales, are both under contract until the end of the next season after penning new deals with the club in February 2016.
The back-to-back European champions don’t want the pair going into next season with only a year left on their deals so are keen to tie them down.
Loosehead prop Mako, 27, who was born in Wellington, New Zealand joined from Bristol in 2011 after starting his senior career with Clifton.
Since then he has gone on to win 49 Test caps for England and another six for the British Lions on their last two tours to Australia and New Zealand.
Sydney-born Billy, 25, arrived from Wasps in 2013 has won 34 Test caps but was ruled out of the Six Nations after fracturing a forearm at the start of the year and has been badly missed by Eddie Jones in this year’s Championship.
Last season he was ruled out of the Lions tour to New Zealand with a shoulder injury.
Billy, who said in September that he would be willing to take a pay cut to play less, has been linked with a move to France by some illinformed sources.
But that won’t happen for at least this next contract as it would rule him out of selection by England for the 2019 World Cup under current EPS rules.
I understand that Saracens don’t envisage any problems with talks and believe both players will agree to extend their deals before the end of the season.