Mako: I let the last Cup pass by
ENGLAND prop Mako Vunipola is determined to make the most of his second World Cup chance after admitting the tournament played on home soil four years ago passed him by.
The loosehead warrior says he feels fortunate to have recovered from the hamstring tear he suffered while playing for Saracens in May’s Champions Cup final against Leinster.
And having made the final cut along with fellow No.1s Joe Marler and Ellis Genge, Vunipola is ready to make amends for the bitter disappointment of England’s 2015 campaign, when defeats by Wales and Australia meant an ignominious exit after just three Pool games. Vunipola, 28, told The
Rugby Paper: “It’s obviously pleasing to be involved again and I feel fortunate to be here after serious injury. Luckily, I had time on my side, but things could still have gone wrong and you just have to trust the rehab process and hope everything goes well.
“Fortunately, it has and I’m on track and feeling good. I’m a little bit behind the other players in terms of my conditioning but England’s S&C staff have looked after me well and I can aim to get stuck in now, try to get some good rugby in and then hit the World Cup firing.”
Vunipola added: “I kind of took the last World Cup for granted. Maybe it was because it was a home World Cup or my first World Cup and you’re thinking there’ll be loads more to come, but as you get older you realise how tough this game is and how special these chances are.
“Like Lions tours, you’re on foreign territory, away from your family and I’ve never been to Japan. Everyone’s out to beat us but it’s also an exciting
opportunity, one that we’re looking forward to because there’s no point going if you don’t believe you can win.
“We definitely believe we can win it and we’re confident in what we can do as a team. What happened four years ago was gutting for all of us but it’s a case now of showing what we can do and making amends when it all kicks off there in a few weeks’ time.”
With Marler coming out of retirement and a number of other key forwards such as Dan Cole, Jamie George, George Kruis, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes and Billy Vunipola also set for successive World Cups, Mako believes England’s pack will stand up to scrutiny.
He said: “I’m very pleased and happy to see Marler back. He’s a top bloke to have around the squad and he’s someone who gives you energy, especially as a front rower because you tend to bounce things off one another and the experience he brings is unrivalled.
“I was massively surprised when he quit Test rugby last year and you never know what’s going on behind closed doors. People have different reasons for doing things and I respect what he did because it’s very difficult for a player at the peak of his career to take a step back and make a massive sacrifice for his family, but thankfully he made the choice to come back.
“Joe’s World Cup experience helps because a lot of our pack have been together for four years now and work well together. We’ve
been coached by Steve Borthwick and Neal Hatley during that time so we have that cohesion and understanding of what’s required in big games and, although we’re still working on it, we’ve shown we can stand up at critical moments.
“As a team we want to be the best in the world, and to be that we have to be the best pack. We’ll be challenged by other teams and know how hard that’s going to be, but we’ll accept the pressure this time and we’re confident we will prove ourselves as a squad.”
While Vunipola is a proven Test performer with 53 England caps and six appearances for the British & Irish Lions to his name, he knows his place in the first-choice XV cannot be taken for granted with energetic Leicester tyro Genge gunning for a starting spot.
“There’s huge competition but that’s how you want it to be; we’re all here for one reason and that’s to push each other and try to win a World Cup,” says Vunipola.
“The more we push each other the better we’ll be and Ellis has shown, along with Marler, that he’s capable of doing the job. After my injury it’s up to me to push these guys, match the standards they’re setting and then, hopefully, exceed them to earn my place.”
Asked what Red Rose head coach Eddie Jones demands of him, Vunipola raises a trademark eyebrow and adds: “I still remember the first meeting we ever had when he told me to be like a Tongan and carry like a Tongan, which is exactly what I’ve tried to do since.
“But, as a prop, it still always comes back to the set-piece, which is your bread and butter, and anything beyond is a bonus.
“I feel I’ve improved there and then you just try to help your team the best you can, working off the ball and trying to get as many involvements as possible.
“That’s what Eddie asks, that’s what I aim to provide and I love the challenge.”