SARACENS’ POWERFUL NUMBER 8 Billy Vunipola will be sidelined for 12 weeks after suffering a fracture to his left arm during yesterday’s Heineken Champions Cup pool win in Glasgow.
The 25-year-old will now miss out on England’s autumn Test schedule, including their long-awaited meeting with New Zealand on 10 November.
Eddie Jones’ men also face South Africa, Japan and Australia next month while Saracens are set to miss the back row’s influence through Champions Cup matches against Lyon and Cardiff Blues before a mouthwatering pre-Christmas clash with Exeter Chiefs in Sandy Park.
Vunipola endured a torrid injury run last season with a fractured forearm keeping him out of the Six Nations and Champions Cup quarter-final after a knee injury sidelined him from September to January.
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His older brother Mako is also a doubt to face Lyon in round two of Europe next weekend. He is being monitored due to a calf injury. Nick Isiekwe sprained his ankle and is being assessed to determine the full extent of the problem.
Cian Healy in training for Leinster in Donnybrook today. Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO
Meanwhile, Champions Cup holders Leinster are also in the early ‘assessment’ stage of their injury concerns. Cian Healy (bruised knee), Rob Kearney (tight quad) and Dan Leavy (tight calf) will hope the nine-day turnaround between the win over Wasps and the trip to Toulouse will offer ample recovery time.
Jamison Gibson-Park (ankle) is back in training this week and in contention to face the other four-time European champions.
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