Mako Vunipola set to miss out for England in Six Nations clash against Wales

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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