England look set to be without Mako Vunipola for another phase of their Guinness Six Nations title push, but Anthony Watson could be available to strengthen the back three.
Vunipola last week travelled to Tonga for family reasons, forcing him to miss the 24-12 demolition of Ireland that has kept Eddie Jones’ World Cup finalists in title contention.
But the powerful loosehead prop is unlikely to return to these shores in time for the penultimate round of the Six Nations against Wales at Twickenham on Saturday week.
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Watson, however, will link up with England at their three-day training camp in Oxford if he is able to demonstrate he has recovered from the calf problem that has prevented him from taking part in the championship to date.
England are well stocked for quality looseheads in the shape of Joe Marler and Ellis Genge, making Vunipola’s return less urgent, but Watson can play wing or full-back and would be a valuable reinforcement.
Rugby in 2019 – in pictures
1/99 1. Saracens vs Sale – 4 Jan
2/99 2. Exeter vs Bristol – 5 Jan
3/99 3. Saracens vs Glasgow – 19 Jan
4/99 4. Ireland vs England – 2 Feb
5/99 5. England vs France – 10 Feb
6/99 6. Wales vs England – 23 Feb
7/99 7. Scotland vs Wales – 9 March
8/99 8. Wales vs Ireland – 16 March
9/99 9. England vs Scotland – 16 March
10/99 10. England Women vs Scotland Women – 16 March
11/99 11. Leinster vs Ulster – 30 March
12/99 12. Saracens vs Munster – 20 April
13/99 13. Saracens vs Leinster – 11 May
14/99 14. Saracens vs Exeter 1 June
15/99 15. England Women vs New Zealand Women 14 July
16/99 16. England Women vs New Zealand Women – 14 July
17/99 17. South Africa vs Australia – 20 July
18/99 18. New Zealand vs South Africa – 27 July
19/99 19. Australia vs New Zealand – 10 August
20/99 20. Argentina vs South Africa – 10 August
21/99 21. New Zealand vs Australia – 17 August
22/99 22. England vs Ireland – 24 August
23/99 23. RWC opening ceremony – 20 October
24/99 24. RWC Japan vs Russia – 20 September
25/99 25. RWC Japan-fans – 20 September
26/99 26. RWC Australia vs Fiji – 21 September
27/99 27. RWC New Zealand vs South Africa – 21 September
28/99 28. RWC Ireland vs Scotland – 21 September
29/99 29. RWC England vs Tonga – 22 September
30/99 30. RWC Wales vs Georgia – 23 September
31/99 31. RWC Fiji vs Uruguay – 25 September
32/99 32. RWC Fiji vs Uruguay – 25 September
33/99 33. RWC England vs USA – 26 September
34/99 34. RWC Japan vs Ireland – 28 September
35/99 35. RWC Japan vs Ireland – 28 September
36/99 36. RWC Australia vs Wales – 29 September
37/99 37. RWC Scotland vs Samoa – 30 September
38/99 38. RWC New Zealand vs Canada – 2 October
39/99 39. RWC England vs Argentina – 5 October
40/99 40. RWC England vs Argentina – 5 October
41/99 41. RWC Japan vs Samoa – 5 October
42/99 42. RWC New Zealand vs Namibia – 6 October
43/99 43. RWC France vs Tonga – 6 October
44/99 44. RWC Scotland vs Russia – 9 October
45/99 45. RWC Wales vs Fiji – 9 October
46/99 46. RWC Typhoon Hagibis – 10 October
47/99 47. RWC Typhoon Hagibis – 10 October
48/99 48. RWC Typhoon Hagibis – 10 October
49/99 49. RWC Japan vs Scotland – 13 October
50/99 50. RWC Japan vs Scotland – 13 October
51/99 51. RWC Japan vs Scotland – 13 October
52/99 52. RWC Japan vs Scotland – 13 October
53/99 53. RWC England vs Australia – 19 October
54/99 54. RWC England vs Australia – 19 October
55/99 55. RWC England vs Australia – 19 October
56/99 56. RWC New Zealand vs Ireland – 19 October
57/99 57. RWC New Zealand vs Ireland – 19 October
58/99 58. RWC Wales vs France – 20 October
59/99 59. RWC Wales vs France – 20 October
60/99 60. RWC Wales vs France – 20 October
61/99 61. RWC Japan vs South Africa – 20 October
62/99 62. RWC Japan vs South Africa – 20 October
63/99 63. RWC Japan vs South Africa -20 October
64/99 64. RWC England vs New Zealand – 26 October
65/99 65. RWC England vs New Zealand – 26 October
66/99 66. RWC England vs New Zealand – 26 October
67/99 67. RWC Wales vs South Africa – 27 October
68/99 68. RWC Wales vs South Africa – 27 October
69/99 69. RWC Wales vs South Africa – 27 October
70/99 70. RWC New Zealand vs Wales – 1 November
71/99 71. RWC England vs South Africa – 2 November
72/99 72. RWC England vs South Africa – 2 November
73/99 73. RWC England vs South Africa – 2 November
74/99 74. RWC England vs South Africa – 2 November
75/99 75. RWC England vs South Africa – 2 November
76/99 76. RWC England vs South Africa – 4 November
77/99 77. Michael Cheika
78/99 78. Steve Hansen
79/99 79. Ian Foster
80/99 80. Premiership begins – 18 October
81/99 81. Bristol vs Bath – 18 October
82/99 82. Saracens vs Northampton – 19 October
83/99 83. Bath vs Exeter – 25 October
84/99 84. Saracens scandal – 4 November
85/99 85. Dylan Hartley retires
86/99 86. Gloucester vs Toulouse – 15 November
87/99 87. Exeter vs La Rochelle – 16 November
88/99 88. Barbarians vs Fiji
89/99 89. Warren Gatland – 29 November
90/99 90. Wales vs Barbarians
91/99 91. Racing 92 vs Munster – 23 November
92/99 92. Saracens vs Munster
93/99 93. Northampton vs Leicester – 30 November
94/99 94. Doddie Weir – 15 December
95/99 95. Israel Folau
96/99 96. Leicester Tigers vs Bristol Bears – 21 December
97/99 97. Saracens vs Bristol Bears – 21 December
98/99 98. Bristol Bears vs Wasps
99/99 99. Harlequins vs Leicester Tigers
1/99 1. Saracens vs Sale – 4 Jan
2/99 2. Exeter vs Bristol – 5 Jan
3/99 3. Saracens vs Glasgow – 19 Jan
4/99 4. Ireland vs England – 2 Feb
5/99 5. England vs France – 10 Feb
6/99 6. Wales vs England – 23 Feb
7/99 7. Scotland vs Wales – 9 March
8/99 8. Wales vs Ireland – 16 March
9/99 9. England vs Scotland – 16 March
10/99 10. England Women vs Scotland Women – 16 March
11/99 11. Leinster vs Ulster – 30 March
12/99 12. Saracens vs Munster – 20 April
13/99 13. Saracens vs Leinster – 11 May
14/99 14. Saracens vs Exeter 1 June
15/99 15. England Women vs New Zealand Women 14 July
16/99 16. England Women vs New Zealand Women – 14 July
17/99 17. South Africa vs Australia – 20 July
18/99 18. New Zealand vs South Africa – 27 July
19/99 19. Australia vs New Zealand – 10 August
20/99 20. Argentina vs South Africa – 10 August
21/99 21. New Zealand vs Australia – 17 August
22/99 22. England vs Ireland – 24 August
23/99 23. RWC opening ceremony – 20 October
24/99 24. RWC Japan vs Russia – 20 September
25/99 25. RWC Japan-fans – 20 September
26/99 26. RWC Australia vs Fiji – 21 September
27/99 27. RWC New Zealand vs South Africa – 21 September
28/99 28. RWC Ireland vs Scotland – 21 September
29/99 29. RWC England vs Tonga – 22 September
30/99 30. RWC Wales vs Georgia – 23 September
31/99 31. RWC Fiji vs Uruguay – 25 September
32/99 32. RWC Fiji vs Uruguay – 25 September
33/99 33. RWC England vs USA – 26 September
34/99 34. RWC Japan vs Ireland – 28 September
35/99 35. RWC Japan vs Ireland – 28 September
36/99 36. RWC Australia vs Wales – 29 September
37/99 37. RWC Scotland vs Samoa – 30 September
38/99 38. RWC New Zealand vs Canada – 2 October
39/99 39. RWC England vs Argentina – 5 October
40/99 40. RWC England vs Argentina – 5 October
41/99 41. RWC Japan vs Samoa – 5 October
42/99 42. RWC New Zealand vs Namibia – 6 October
43/99 43. RWC France vs Tonga – 6 October
44/99 44. RWC Scotland vs Russia – 9 October
45/99 45. RWC Wales vs Fiji – 9 October
46/99 46. RWC Typhoon Hagibis – 10 October
47/99 47. RWC Typhoon Hagibis – 10 October
48/99 48. RWC Typhoon Hagibis – 10 October
49/99 49. RWC Japan vs Scotland – 13 October
50/99 50. RWC Japan vs Scotland – 13 October
51/99 51. RWC Japan vs Scotland – 13 October
52/99 52. RWC Japan vs Scotland – 13 October
53/99 53. RWC England vs Australia – 19 October
54/99 54. RWC England vs Australia – 19 October
55/99 55. RWC England vs Australia – 19 October
56/99 56. RWC New Zealand vs Ireland – 19 October
57/99 57. RWC New Zealand vs Ireland – 19 October
58/99 58. RWC Wales vs France – 20 October
59/99 59. RWC Wales vs France – 20 October
60/99 60. RWC Wales vs France – 20 October
61/99 61. RWC Japan vs South Africa – 20 October
62/99 62. RWC Japan vs South Africa – 20 October
63/99 63. RWC Japan vs South Africa -20 October
64/99 64. RWC England vs New Zealand – 26 October
65/99 65. RWC England vs New Zealand – 26 October
66/99 66. RWC England vs New Zealand – 26 October
67/99 67. RWC Wales vs South Africa – 27 October
68/99 68. RWC Wales vs South Africa – 27 October
69/99 69. RWC Wales vs South Africa – 27 October
70/99 70. RWC New Zealand vs Wales – 1 November
71/99 71. RWC England vs South Africa – 2 November
72/99 72. RWC England vs South Africa – 2 November
73/99 73. RWC England vs South Africa – 2 November
74/99 74. RWC England vs South Africa – 2 November
75/99 75. RWC England vs South Africa – 2 November
76/99 76. RWC England vs South Africa – 4 November
77/99 77. Michael Cheika
78/99 78. Steve Hansen
79/99 79. Ian Foster
80/99 80. Premiership begins – 18 October
81/99 81. Bristol vs Bath – 18 October
82/99 82. Saracens vs Northampton – 19 October
83/99 83. Bath vs Exeter – 25 October
84/99 84. Saracens scandal – 4 November
85/99 85. Dylan Hartley retires
86/99 86. Gloucester vs Toulouse – 15 November
87/99 87. Exeter vs La Rochelle – 16 November
88/99 88. Barbarians vs Fiji
89/99 89. Warren Gatland – 29 November
90/99 90. Wales vs Barbarians
91/99 91. Racing 92 vs Munster – 23 November
92/99 92. Saracens vs Munster
93/99 93. Northampton vs Leicester – 30 November
94/99 94. Doddie Weir – 15 December
95/99 95. Israel Folau
96/99 96. Leicester Tigers vs Bristol Bears – 21 December
97/99 97. Saracens vs Bristol Bears – 21 December
98/99 98. Bristol Bears vs Wasps
99/99 99. Harlequins vs Leicester Tigers
“Mako probably won’t be back for Wales. He’s gone home for family business,” head coach Jones said.
“Anthony’s got to do a running session and if he gets through that we’ll get him into camp.”
England swept aside Ireland in a performance that evoked memories of the victories over Australia and New Zealand that propelled them into last autumn’s World Cup final.
At the heart of the triumph was second row Maro Itoje, who was close to his destructive best having made a quiet start to the Six Nations.
Ireland attempted to rattle him and Jones warned future opponents that they target him at their peril.
“Maro’s been through that and that’s what normally happens with a second year player – they work out what you are good at and then try to take it away from you,” Jones said.
“He’s been through that process and now they can go at him. The more they go at him, the more it distracts them from their game.
“The thing I like about Maro is that he has a real growth mindset, he really wants to keep improving.
“And he sees it as a real important part of his game, not only being that physical, menacing type player but also being a guy that can influence others to play well. That was quite evident against Ireland.
“We see the way he relates to his fellow players, the way he communicates, the way he gets more out of the players around him. We are seeing that more and more.”
While Itoje is growing in stature within England’s leadership group, it is captain Owen Farrell who continues to act as standard bearer.
“We’ve been speaking about the growth of the leadership team. It takes time. Owen is not even two years into the job. Every game he captains, he gets a little bit better,” Jones said.
“It wasn’t about what he did on the field against Ireland, it was about what he did in the lead-up to the game.
“It was outstanding how he led the team in the lead-up to the game and we saw that when the players got on the field. We had great focus.
“He’s learning to be a better captain. Captaincy is hard. He’s doing a great job as captain.”
PA
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