'Gutted' Mako Vunipola explains England absence

Vunipola said: “Eddie messaged me about it and apologised for the medical stuff and I understand it. The rest of the Six Nations is a bit up in the air.

“We were in Hong Kong on the way there and the way back for about three hours each time. I didn’t excpect what happened but I can understand it and if I thought about my travel more I may have gone a different route to Tonga.

“It is what it is and I understand why England did it and I can’t really change their mind. I was a bit gutted when they told me and the boys did a good job against Ireland and it would have been hard to get into the team anyway. I love to play for my country and I was lucky the club let me come back in.

“It was a bit hard to get my head around it and they made the call and didn’t want to risk anything. I was disappointed because you want to play but I had to understand the situation they were in and for me it was nice to be able to play for the club and get out there. “

The hulking back-rower,  whose father is former Wales international Paul Moriarty, initially played for England at both U18 and U20 level, winning the IRB Junior World Championship in 2014. However, he has since made his full international debut for Wales and has since won 25 caps while also representing the British & Irish Lions during their tour of New Zealand in 2017.

Mako Vunipola, far-right in the back row, and Billy, fourth right, played for East Wales schools alongside Wales’s Taulupe Faletau. However, after attending English schools they made the switch to represent England. Billy even once admitted he wanted Australia to win the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

Grew up in the Amman Valley and captained Wales U16s.  But was born in Slough and switched allegiance to the land of his birth, playing for England U20s. The 21-year-old scrum-half made 17 Premiership appearances last season, having joined from Gloucester.

Now an exciting centre, his rugby career began in the forwards as a flanker before he moved into the midfield in his mid-teens, representing Kent at county level and London & South East Under-16s.

Tompkins’ dynamic skillset and enthusiastic nature saw him excel for the Men in Black in 2018/19, featuring heavily in the club’s run to their third European success and fifth Premiership title.

The former England Under-20 international, who won the 2014 Junior World Championship, made his Wales debut during the 2020 Six Nations.