RUMOUR: Saracens line-up Mako Vunipola replacement

Mako, who has been with the club 2011, has been linked with a lucrative move to the Top 14, while Bristol Bears are also reportedly interested.

reports this morning that Obano, who is the cousin of Sarries stat Maro Itoje, is top of Mark McCall's shortlist to replace Vunipola.

Exeter Chiefs are also interested in the London-born prop, who has won three England caps since making his debut during the 2021 Six Nations.

Obano possesses the skills and physical ability to demonstrate game breaking moments that can both create points for his team and to deny tries for the opposition.

The 27-year-old's power and agility with ball in hand add to the repertoire of threats within the forward pack.

Here are such players who you may be surprised are related (even if just a little bit).

The Curry twins are the nephew of former England hooker John Olver and cousins of former Northampton Saints fly-half Sam Olver, who is now at Ealing Trailfinders.

Scarlets and Wales U20 centre Ioan Nicholas is the cousin of top referee Nigel Owens.

Quade Cooper and Sean Maitland are cousins and were both born in the north of New Zealand. While Cooper moved to Brisbane in his teens and became a star of the Wallabies, Maitland headed to Christchurch to join the Canterbury Crusaders before heeding his Glaswegian grandfather’s words to remember his roots and headed for Scotland.

All Black Howlett and Tonga legend Latu are also cousins, sharing family on the Pacific Island.

Gloucester speedster Thorley is Itoje’s cousin, after his grandfather re-married a Nigerian woman who is the Saracens lock’s aunt.