Eddie Jones backs England's Mako Vunipola to become 'one of the best in the world'

Lean on me: Mako Vunipola, in training this week, says criticism has made him stronger
Action Images via Reuters
Chris Jones1 February 2018

England head coach Eddie Jones says Mako Vunipola is ready to become one of the best players in the world. Given the Australian is famously tough on his team, that is rare praise for one of his players as they prepare to start the defence of their Six Nations crown against Italy in Rome on Sunday.

While front-row forwards do not regularly grab the headlines — unless they are being banned — Vunipola’s skills set him apart and his value has never been higher, especially with injuries and bans leaving him as the only capped loose-head available.

Joe Marler is banned, while Matt Mullan and Ellis Genge are injured, meaning the uncapped duo of Lewis Boyce and Alec Hepburn, of Harlequins and Exeter respectively, are vying for the replacements’ role as England bid for an historic third straight title win.

Jones said: “Mako can be one of the best players in the world. Any loose-head prop who makes 20 tackles in the game, has his ball-carrying ability and scrimmaging — when you put all that together you have a super package. He is learning more about his body, how to look after himself and is maturing all the time. The sky is the limit for him.

“He is one of those guys who other players like playing with. It makes a hell of a difference because people want to play for him and with him.”

There is pressure on Vunipola, 27, to deliver in the scrums and as one of England’s main ball carriers in the loose, a role at which his younger brother Billy, who has been ruled out with a broken arm, excels.

For the elder Vunipola, this kind of pressure is nothing new. He was heavily criticised by the Australian media for his scrum technique during the Lions tour Down Under in 2013 and the Saracens star admitted he had been affected by the flak that came his way.

He said: “I learnt a lot from that tour and had to grow up quickly as a front-row forward because you are in the firing line. You either take that on the chin and improve or else you go into a dark place. I wanted to get better and last summer’s Lions tour is a massive highlight of my career.”

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That desire to improve has impressed Jason Leonard, England’s most capped player and a member of the World Cup-winning team in 2003.

Leonard said: “Lions tours can make or break you. It is how you come back from those setbacks. Mako got criticism on his first Lions tour and worked very hard on his overall game and lifted his levels of excellence, which means he is now putting in the big shifts in the scrums, the tight work and using the ball better in open play.

“Mako’s game has improved in all areas, thanks to the good set-up at Sarries, and there was a real difference on the last Lions tour in New Zealand compared to four years earlier.

“He really shone in New Zealand and was one of the star players for the Lions. He is now one of Eddie’s go-to players and is a player who is right on form and has matured into a world-class player.”

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