It’s Twickenham via Doncaster for Vunipola

BILLY VUNIPOLA is keen to continue his unusual preparation for Scotland in the Six Nations — with a trip to Doncaster. The England No 8 played his first match since December 6 in a surprise 27-26 Saracens defeat by Ealing on Saturday. Ealing thoroughly deserved their win, in which hooker Alun Walker scored twice and wing Angus Kernohan took another try — but Vunipola said he enjoyed swapping Twickenham for the Trailfinders Sports Club nonetheless. ‘I thought it was good,’ said the 28-year-old. ‘It was good to play with the young boys who were as keen as anything. That just rubs off on me. The biggest thing is that we learn to take control of the game. If we want to come straight back up, it’s a good game for us.’ Asked if he was keen to make the trip to Castle Park, the next venue for Saracens in the Trailfinders Challenge Cup, Vunipola said: ‘At the moment I’m all in. We’ve been training on rubber crumb so I’d like to get on some grass. I hope it is quite muddy up in Doncaster — I’m keen to get my elbows and knees dirty!’ Vunipola became a father in November, making him want to lead more on and off the field. ‘It’s a way I can improve my game, as I can stay on a level keel rather than being on a rollercoaster ride with my emotions. ‘With him the age he is, it gives me a bit of extra motivation to set him up for the future.’ Vunipola cannot wait to join up with England, too — initially at St George’s Park, usually reserved for football — to prepare for the Six Nations. ‘It has that club feel to it,’ he said of the England environment. ‘You don’t go in the dining room and think, “I’m going to come back later because I don’t want to sit at that table”. ‘I just hope the Wi-Fi is good! I hear St George’s Park is out in the sticks and I love watching eating videos, bodybuilding and random stuff like eating challenges — Beard v Food, he is the man!’