Crocked Billy in a battle to make the 6 Nations
BILLY VunIpoLa was last night facing another international season decimated by injury after the Saracens and England no 8 had emergency knee surgery.
The 24-year- old was helped off the pitch during his club’s victory over Sale at allianz park on Saturday and scans confirmed damaged cartilage in his right knee.
The younger Vunipola brother had an operation yesterday morning to repair the meniscus and the expected time for his recovery is 16 weeks.
That means not only will Billy miss England’s autumn Test campaign, he is also in danger of being absent for part of the Six nations early next year — if not all of it, should the rehabilitation not go entirely to plan.
It is another grievous setback for a fine player who has already had more than his fair share of them at such a young age. It is sadly ironic that this latest injury should occur just days after Vunipola voiced concerns about plans to expand the English domestic season, amid heightened fears over the punishment being inflicted on players’ bodies.
He has suffered more than most, to the extent there are shades of Manu Tuilagi’s plight — a constant boom-and-bust cycle.
Vunipola’s first Six nations campaign, back in 2014, was halted prematurely by an ankle injury. His World Cup campaign ended early, due to a knee injury against Wales. He missed three rounds of the 2017 Six nations due to another knee problem, then a shoulder injury kept him out of the Lions tour, before this latest knee injury.
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall said: ‘For any team to lose a player of the ability of Billy is a blow and he will be missed through the autumn for both Saracens and England.’
England head coach Eddie Jones considers the back row star to be one of three men in his squad who are approaching the world- class category. So he is not easily replaced but, on the other hand, the national team cannot become over-reliant on him.
a deputy must fill the void. nathan Hughes has done it before and the Wasps no 8 is the frontrunner to do so again.
Yesterday, his power was illustrated when he carried the ball into a tackle by Exeter’s Sam Simmonds — another Test candidate — and the force of the collision meant the Chief had to go off.
Hughes can be a dominant figure at times, but he is still working on his game awareness and ability to remain influential throughout matches. as it happens, the top-performing English no 8 is not available for national service. Carl Fearns has been outstanding for Lyon since his move there from Bath and was even one of three nominees for France’s player of the Year award. But being based abroad means he is off-limits.
Without Vunipola, Jones will surely turn to Hughes but also expect others to take up the ball-carrying slack.
Courtney Lawes is on a thunderous charge and able to perform that role, while Mako Vunipola is another who can help make light of his brother’s absence. But Billy will be sorely missed.