Vunipola not scared to admit England players are hunting for Lions places

Billy Vunipola insists England must hunt down Scotland in search of Lions places, as well as the prize of a successful start to the Guinness Six Nations.

Four years ago, Vunipola was forced to withdraw from Warren Gatland’s New Zealand-bound squad because of a shoulder injury, but in 2021 he remains a strong contender to face South Africa as firstchoice number eight.

A decision on what format the tour will take, or if it will even go ahead, is expected in mid-February as administrators wrestle with the complications of the coronavirus pandemic, but Lions selection remains a prized goal.

Scotland’sstarsknowthata first win at Twickenham since 1983 next Saturday would do wonders for their own claims, but Vunipola is determined to bulldoze them out of contention. “A lot of people are afraid of saying, ‘I want to go on the Lions tour’ and making that clear, but that’s one of my goals,” Vunipola said.

“Throughout this Six Nations I want to put myself in that shop window and show that I can perform at the highest level.

“Iknowtherearenocrowds but Warren Gatland puts a lot of weight in playing well for your country, but also playing well away from home.

“We know Scotland are going to come here and give it theirbestshotandweknowwe have to be ready for this game because we all want to be on that plane.

“TheScotlandgameismassive,butalsoeveryonewantsto be on that Lions tour and we’re no different.

“We know that to get one overonateamawayfromhome is massive so we’ve got to be readyandpreparedtobulldoze teams and not just sit back.

“I’mkeentogoonthatplane andplayfortheLions.Ifitdoes go ahead, it goes ahead, but my mainfocusisplayingreallywell for England. That’s the only thing I can do.”

England enter the Six Nations as champions, with the aim of emulating 2017, when they successfully defended the title.

“We’ve kind of got a target over our heads and everyone is trying to build us up as favourites, which is fine,” the Saracens back row said.

“We’vegottotakethatmantraonandkeepplayingtheway we play. We’ve got to be ready for what teams are going to bringandthat’swhatwe’repreparing to do.

“The biggest lesson from 2016and2017istonotgetbored of winning.”