JONES WANTS BILLY TO TAKE IT EASY AFTER SUMMER SNUB

EDDIE JONES has urged Billy Vunipola to take the rare opportunity for a good rest and a full preseason, in order to give ‘the best of himself’ when he next plays for England. The Saracens No 8 was not included in the Lions squad to tour South Africa after a below-par Six Nations campaign, but Jones decided against calling him up for next month’s Tests against the USA and Canada at Twickenham. The England coach wants Vunipola to recharge and return at his peak next season. Asked why he opted not to bring the 28-year-old to the national training camp, Jones said: ‘We felt it was best to rest him. He needs to find the best of himself, he knows that. He’s another one who needs to get into the best physical condition.’ England’s Six Nations prospects were undermined by a chronic lack of match fitness among the influential Saracens contingent, who were waiting for the delayed start of their season in the Championship following relegation from the Premiership. Jones has now acknowledged that Billy (right) and his club-mates struggled with the situation. ‘I underestimated how much it made things difficult for the Sarries boys to be at their best,’ he said. ‘They missed a lot of training and hard games. This is a chance for those guys who missed out on the Lions to have a really good preseason and come back ready to challenge for an England shirt in the autumn.’ Earlier this week, the RFU revealed Manu Tuilagi did not join up with the national squad after suffering another injury in Sale’s play-off defeat at Exeter. But Jones played down the significance of this setback, saying: ‘It’s a slight hamstring injury, he’ll be out for a couple of weeks and we won’t play him this series. We expect him back next year in very good condition.’ On Sunday, England ‘A’ will take on Scotland ‘A’ at Welford Road and, as previously reported by Sportsmail, Jones’s senior assistant and ex-All Blacks head coach, John Mitchell, will take charge of the second-string side. Bath flanker Miles Reid withdrew from the England squad yesterday after suffering a facial fracture in training.

July 4: England v USA, July 10: England v Canada.