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Saracens' worst fears confirmed but Eddie Jones is given Vunipola hope

By Online Editors
Saracens' Mako Vunipola was a player bought out of a contract at Bristol for a transfer fee (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Mako Vunipola will miss the climax to Saracens’ pursuit of the double after being ruled of the rest of the season by a significant hamstring injury.

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Vunipola lasted just half an hour of the Champions Cup final victory over Leinster on Saturday before being forced off alongside fellow prop Titi Lamositele, who will also miss the Gallagher Premiership title push.

A date for Vunipola’s return has yet to be confirmed, but Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall insists the British and Irish Lions loosehead will be available for England’s World Cup campaign.

“Mako has a torn hamstring. We’re waiting to see exactly what happens with that, but I very much doubt he’ll play again this season. Nether will Titi,” McCall said.

“Mako won’t be out of the World Cup, but he’ll be out for a while. It’s quite a significant injury. It’s disappointing to lose two players of that quality and it makes us a little bit vulnerable.”

Vunipola, who is considered the game’s stand-out loosehead, missed a large chunk of the Six Nations with an ankle injury and then suffered another injury to the same joint that resulted in an aborted comeback.

The showdown with Leinster in Newcastle was only his second match since England’s rout of France in mid-February.

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Along with in-form tighthead Lamositele, he will miss the home play-off at Allianz Park on May 25 and the final a week later – if Saracens progress.

Both players were due to be rested as part of sweeping changes for the climax to the regular Premiership season at Worcester on Saturday.

McCall said most of the 23 from last weekend will not play, adding that he is confident Saracens have enough depth to cope with their props missing the remainder of the season. 

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“Juan Figallo is just coming back from injury, which is good timing,” he said. “We were really impressed with Richard Barrington and Vincent Koch did when they came on, and Christian Judge has had a really good season. So we’ve got some guys who are ready to step up.”

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Bull Shark 1 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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