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Six Nations

England prop Mako Vunipola announces international retirement

Published: 12 January 2024 08:40 PST
Updated: 12 January 2024 08:58 PST

(Photo by PA)

England prop Mako Vunipola has announced his retirement from international rugby.

Vunipola amassed 79 caps in a career that began in 2012 and also made nine Test appearances for the British and Irish Lions.

The 32-year-old Saracens forward missed last year’s World Cup because of back surgery but was expected to be involved in the upcoming Six Nations.

Red Roses Head Coach: John Mitchell excited for RWC 2025

“It’s been an honour to have represented my country but all good things must come to an end,” he said on Instagram.

“The time has come to step away now. There have been lots of highs and lows. Would love to thank everyone who have helped me along the way.

“To my wife @alex_vunipola thank you for taking care of our family and all your support. Words don’t do it justice.

“To my parents I’m eternally grateful for all you have sacrificed for me to be here. Malo aupito and Ofa atu. God is good.”

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Comments on RugbyPass

NB 8 minutes ago

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

😉HH

55 Go to comments

NB 9 minutes ago

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

Yeah weird isn’t it?

There is a lot of give and take on these forums but in general ppl don’t hold grudges and they do get on even when they don’t agree.

...

55 Go to comments

NB 11 minutes ago

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

Great piece here … https://30yeartest.com/

Bluddy good read.

...

55 Go to comments

NB 12 minutes ago

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

All but three of them inside our 22 ofc NLR🤣🤣

Seriously it was the same scrum/maul pen matrix as per their game v the ABs, and we didn’t have the power to counter it.

...

55 Go to comments

NB 13 minutes ago

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

I think this is verging on the best midfield WB can pick - maybe with Henry in for Hunter, and add Marky Mark when gets back from League. And Gordon at 10 ofc.

55 Go to comments

NB 15 minutes ago

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

Will he get much game time at WP with Wilco and Fouche around tho?

55 Go to comments

NB 15 minutes ago

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

Yep Wessels will make the squad no doubt - but he does have something to prove. Porthen is a good young player for the future - but I don’t think he’s anywhere near as good as Sadie is since he got back to full fitness and dropped some weight.

55 Go to comments

unknown 23 minutes ago

Sam Underhill faces anxious wait over injury sustained in Bath win at Harlequins

With reference to the England back row, you cannot discount potentially the most destructive tackler in world rugby.

Pollock has his strengths, but in a grind I would want Sam in the team to make to big hits maybe in alliance with Lawes, leaving a toss up between Pollock and Earls for No8. Altogether a fearsome back row

...

2 Go to comments

unknown 53 minutes ago

Exeter Chiefs player ratings vs Gloucester | 2026/27 Gallagher PREM

I hear what you are saying .. but the Chiefs want/need IFW to be ever-present in attack. As you say he's literally their only strike runner at the moment. As a result, players like Hammersley, Varney and Skinner MUST make those covering takles.

Will Butt's name was barely mentioned in commentary .. nor was Hammersley's.

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3 Go to comments

MW 1 hour ago

Exeter Chiefs player ratings vs Gloucester | 2026/27 Gallagher PREM

IFW 7!! Are you having a laugh. 4 at best. Made an absolute mug of in defence multiple times and as Chiefs sole back able to get over the gainline and create something he had a pretty average game too.

3 Go to comments

unknown 1 hour ago

Exeter Chiefs player ratings vs Gloucester | 2026/27 Gallagher PREM

I was worried before the game about Exeter's injuries and lack of signings! No Zambonin, Hooper, McLoud, Brown-Bampoe, Wyatt, Vincent, Pearson, Ridl, and neither of the Georgian props!!

Today Exeter were out-musculed by Gloucester. Their catch and drive was superb .. and Exeter had no answers.

...

3 Go to comments

Hellhound 1 hour ago

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

Somehow HatMan thinks he is very important and that everyone cares what he has to say. No one does unless it's an opinion on the piece, agreeing or disagreeing. Who cares if he reads the piece or not? He doesn't have an opinion, but came in here, targeting you deliberately then tried making himself the victim. I think Ben Smith don't like your pieces that gives so much insight and his is just hateful opinionated thumb sucking pieces. I think this might be him or someone he is paying to deliberately go after you😂 Trolling little squid🤣🤣

55 Go to comments

Hellhound 1 hour ago

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

I did not see any wrong in Nick's responses. He did make a mistake in saying the Boks have only been at home, but he did admit you were right. You in the other hand, decided to attack him telling him you stopped reading because he made a mistake. He admitted it and asked for your opinion to which you took it personally AGAIN. You are 100% at fault here. Who cares if you comment or not? Rugby Pass is always bad with employees like Ben Smith. You are no one. No one cares who you are. No one cares who anyone is. You are only important to you. Comment or not. Either you have an opinion or not. You can defend it when people don't agree or not. What you did was uncalled for. What is called WOKE. You tried to make yourself a victim. You behaved like an idiot, didn't even get treated back as the idiot you are. Now run along and go read your little girlie magazine, so the real fans that actually do have opinions can chat, ok?

55 Go to comments

Rodney Ford 2 hours ago

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

If Frans gets back onto the field this season and makes it to the end of the URC while managing to hold his own, he will definitely figure strongly in Rassie’s plans.

55 Go to comments

NoLongerARuck 2 hours ago

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

Yeah Nick rugby desperately needs money and start leveraging its fan base. It needs better laws, a global calendar and huge engagement. The problem is most acute in Australia where NRL has a 5.3 billion Aus dollar deal while rugby union has just 240 million. AFL has a multibillion dollar deal as well. This may just be in Australia but shows you how bad we are at leveraging our game and thats why nobody can make a buck

55 Go to comments

NoLongerARuck 2 hours ago

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

The Springbok game is very reliant on gain line dominance with runners attacking the seams making meters. De Villiers, Van Staden and Louw is hardly an imposing back three in terms of size but hard to beat in terms of work rate and break down presence. The hard running Etzebeth, Esterhuizen and the tight forwards will be critical before springing the faster outside backs into action. This Springbok team has been selected to play with pace and intensity but its questionable whether or no they have the cohesion to do that

55 Go to comments

NoLongerARuck 2 hours ago

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

Stormers did beat Connach yesterday and built 145 rucks🙃

55 Go to comments

NoLongerARuck 2 hours ago

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

But he probably makes Rassies squad. Porthen is not as good as Sadie but his potential and ceiling is quite high and could be a very important player in the loose or off the bench to make an impact. He is a very skilled athlete. This is a very important game for him though. Porthen wont start many matches and if he wants to get more time he needs to make an impact

55 Go to comments

NoLongerARuck 2 hours ago

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

The Wallabies lineout is one area where they have maintained high standards throughout the years despite dropping to below 40% in term of win percentage. The Boks didnt get tested there against NZ and I expect Aus to certainly challenge there. This is as good an opportunity that Aus will get against the Boks. Its a new team with plenty of inexperience but Rassie has kept an experienced core for the lineout but Grobbelaars throwing can go awry when under pressure as we have seen in big matches for the Bulls. The Wallabies backline is also stacked with quality and theres some power on the bench too. For the first time in a long time the Wallabies have some depth to call upon and real quality options across the park. Even so this is a different Bok team than the one that exited covid. That team hadnt played in front of a crowd since 2019, had 18 months apart and barely had any cohesion. Their game plan was literally kick scrum and maul throughout the Lions series and the Argentina tests and they were very much a team that regressed since 2019. They had to recover their game and recover their conditioning and that was top of mind for coaches. Having said that the team that runs out this weekend has several green players with few minutes behind them in the past 2 months. They should be short of a gallop. Sure they have been training as a shadow team against the first team Boks but training is no substitute for game time. I expect them to be rusty and to lack cohesion and thats why this a good opportunity for an Australian team building momentum.

55 Go to comments

NB 2 hours ago

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

Since you ask.

The future of RP is 600+ comments per piece with full involvement by the author.

...

55 Go to comments

England prop Mako Vunipola announces international retirement

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England prop Mako Vunipola announces international retirement

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Latest Long Reads

Can the Wallabies evoke the spirit of 2021 to rock the world champions?

‘Brendan takes things very emotionally, very personally. It’s part of his super power’

Mick Cleary: 'You win nowt without proper team spirit, no matter how many high-performing individuals you have in the ranks.'

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