Eddie Jones appears ready to put Billy Vunipola straight back into England’s side for the Calcutta Cup match against Scotland, with Jonathan Joseph also apparently in line for a recall after pictures emerged that seemed to show his intended starting XV.
Vunipola and Joseph, along with Ben Youngs and Jack Nowell, who also appear poised to return to Jones’s XV, were listed on a whiteboard in what seemed to be England’s planned lineup to play Scotland on Saturday, during a training session at their Bagshot base on Tuesday.
The whiteboard features lineups for two training matches, one of 13 v 15 players, the other of 10 v 12. In both of them the stronger combination shows four changes from the side who defeated Italy with Vunipola, Youngs, Joseph and Nowell, who scored two tries from the bench, all returning.
England have become increasingly guarded over team selection as the Six Nations has progressed and it would not be the first time Jones has used smoke and mirrors to distract from his intentions. But the indications on the whiteboard would appear to reveal his plans for Saturday’s match when England will attempt to secure a record-equalling 18th consecutive victory.
In both training matches the stronger side wore white bibs, which has previously been a sign of England’s starting XV, and after Tuesday’s two sessions Jones trimmed his squad to 24 with Vunipola, Youngs, Joseph and Nowell all retained. There is no place for Jack Clifford, who picked up a knock during training, or Henry Slade, who came off the bench against Italy. Anthony Watson remains and would appear to be in a straight shootout with Jonny May for a place on the replacements bench should Nowell and Elliot Daly start on the wings.
Jones names his team on Thursday and, if the whiteboard does turn out to be indicative of his plans, it would represent a rapid return for Vunipola, who would come into the side for Nathan Hughes. Jones has lamented the absence of the 24-year-old No8’s ball-carrying since he was sidelined with a knee injury in November but he made his comeback for Saracens against Newcastle on Sunday, lasting 72 minutes before he was replaced.
On Monday England’s scrum coach, Neal Hatley, confirmed Vunipola had proved his fitness. “Billy has done enough to prove he should be involved in the squad,” he said. “It’s fantastic to have him back.”
Youngs’s return at scrum-half would be less of a surprise, considering his form during the autumn series and Danny Care’s struggles in coping with Italy’s no-ruck tactic. Joseph was omitted from the matchday 23 against Italy but has started all but two of England’s 16 matches under Jones.
Watson has not featured for England since last summer’s series win in Australia, missing the last seven Tests having started the previous 10. He was sidelined during the autumn internationals with a broken jaw and suffered a hamstring tear just before the start of the Six Nations but, after he was deemed not quite ready to face Italy by Jones, he is eager to make his return.
“It’s been a little bit frustrating. It was the second or third injury I’d had this year and that wasn’t part of the plan,” he said. “I’ve tried to take benefits from it. I’ve been doing a lot of speed work and speed mechanic stuff. And that’s felt like it’s translating, so it’s not been all doom and gloom. I feel better as a result of it.
“I feel like I have done a lot of preparation. I was in and around the squad for the Italy game and that gave me an added bit of hunger. From my point of view it’s about trying to push as much as possible to be involved on Saturday. I’m going to do everything in my power to make a statement that I’m ready to play on Saturday.”
