Fit-again Mako Vunipola thanks the poor lady who wheeled the 122kg prop through LA airport in June
Fit-again Mako Vunipola is approaching the best shape of his career – but try telling that to the lady who had to wheel the 122kg prop through Los Angeles airport back in June.
Vunipola has finally recovered from the torn hamstring tendon he suffered in Saracens’ Champions Cup final victory in May and could feature in England’s clash with Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday.
The 28-year-old could not straighten his leg after surgery to fix the tendon back onto the bone, and so had to use crutches and a wheelchair en route to brother Billy’s wedding back in Tonga.
While the British and Irish Lions prop enjoyed his convalescence, he admitted some of those enlisted to help his mobility had their work cut out. “In terms of bodyweight I’m near enough the lightest I’ve ever been,” said the elder Vunipola brother.
“I feel good about that. Body conditioning-wise it’s one of those constant things for me, I’ve just got to keep working on that. In terms of fitness, I feel very good. Match fitness is something different. We’ll see how I go on the weekend if I get the chance.
🌄 RISING SONS: Episode 7, Part 2
Go behind the scenes on game day as England take on Wales in Cardiff. #WearTheRose 🌹 @O2Sports pic.twitter.com/FW1yGKd2fM
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) August 20, 2019
“I weigh 122kgs now, and the lightest I’ve ever been was 121kgs, in Australia in 2016. I tore the tendon at the top of hamstring so the muscle became detached from the bone, so they had to go back in and attach that back on.
“For two weeks I was not allowed to strain my hamstring. Unfortunately, I went to Tonga in those two weeks so it was hard going round on crutches and watching what I eat. Luckily my family helped me through that.
“I could bend my knee but I couldn’t lie straight with it. The airport staff looked after me in Los Angeles on the way. I was in a wheelchair and some poor lady had to push me. She was struggling a bit! I asked, ‘Are you OK?’, and I owed her a big thank you.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1WPxzpIriS/
Vunipola is itching to get going after his latest injury setback and now has the chance to chase full match sharpness, with England launching their World Cup campaign against Tonga on September 22.
Happy to joke about his experiences now, the combative front-rower also knows full well how injuries can quickly alter a mood. “I had to put pillows underneath my leg: it was ideal because it gave me an excuse not to leave bed,” joked Vunipola.
“I don’t need much excuse. I was in bed constantly apart from when I needed to go to the bathroom or the kitchen. I had a pretty good set-up with the TV and PlayStation. For me, it was pretty much heaven. I was ready to get out of bed by the end of it though.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1EDyaaH4Tj/
“I needed to move and get the hamstring moving, but I also felt very sloppy by the end of those two weeks. You get bigger and you lose muscle – not that you can really tell the difference.”
Asked what he weighed at the end of that fortnight off his feet, Vunipola joked he avoided the scales – to stay out of trouble with head coach Eddie Jones. He added: “I didn’t even want to get on the scales. I don’t want to say either. I don’t want Eddie finding out!
“I’m excited about being back playing, it’s been tough the last four to five weeks training by myself. We have talked about not wanting to take anything for granted.
“Every time I think I am alright, something else happens. It might be luck, it might be something else, but every day and every time I am training I have to make sure I am doing my best to improve and every time I play, play like it’s my last game.”
– Press Association
WATCH: England’s Eddie Jones speaks to the media following last weekend’s loss to Wales
Comments on RugbyPass
Instead of apologising, try to act like an adult, fcknut.
1 Go to commentsLooks like the Force twisted his leg…ahem arm
5 Go to commentsScotland should change their name to the Barbarians
2 Go to commentsThe game was already over leave the bloke alone ….from a Welsh fan 😀👍
2 Go to commentsShamefully the Toulouse players acted like footballers, falling down feigning injury at the slightest knock. About time refs penalised this play acting.
7 Go to commentsAnother non Scot for the anti Scot Townsend. Soon there will be no Scottish born and bred players in the National team.
2 Go to commentsGreat comeback to the playing field by Richie Mo’unga after the loss of his father. A great performance by Richie . I know him well and he is a great guy. On and off the field one of the greatest for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson would have loved him in his All Black’s side. A very missed player and person.
2 Go to commentsYeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
2 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
5 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
5 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
5 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
16 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
16 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
16 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
7 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
7 Go to comments