Time for real Billy to shine
BILLY VUNIPOLA has warned Wales he is saving his best for Saturday’s Six Nations clash, admitting he is yet to fire fully in the Championship. The England No8, below, has been feeling his way back into Test rugby after a broken arm as his team have swept all before them. But with brother Mako and Maro Itoje missing the trip to Cardiff through injury, he says now is the time for the real Vunipola to stand up. “I’ve been trying to build up to it but there a lot more urgency this week because my brother is not here and Maro’s been out for two weeks,” said Vunipola.
“That pressure I put on myself every week, but this
week there’s more importance.
“I’ve been building up a little bit of confidence, and for me it’s a good time to try and play some of my better rugby, especially in this campaign. “It’s nice to see your name up there with the Makos of this world and the Owen Farrells and the Jonny Mays, so I’d like to try and see if I can play my best game.”
Exeter’s Ben Moon looks set to fill the loose-head prop slot in the absence of Mako with Ellis Genge on the bench against the other unbeaten side left in the tournament.
Genge is the more explosive of the two, but with Kyle Sinckler’s ball-carrying in the front row and Courtney Lawes continuing in Itoje’s place, England are looking to cover all bases in their pack.
“It’s 100 per cent on the balance of what the team needs, so not so much on what one individual might do,” said England scrum coach Neal Hatley.
“Eddie Jones called him a coalminer and that’s probably a great description for Moony.
“There’s very little fuss about him, he gets on with his job and he does it extremely well.”
With Chris Ashton also out with a calf problem, Moon’s Exeter team-mate Jack Nowell looks the firm favourite to return on the right wing.
Joe Cokanasiga could also have a role from the bench after making a tryscoring return for Bath in Saturday’s win over Newcastle following a two-month injury absence.