by England prop Mako Vunipola has announced his retirement from international rugby three weeks from the start of the Six Nations as Steve Borthwick faces severely depleted options in the loose end of the front row.
The Saracens forward, who has won 79 England caps and played nine times for the British and Irish Lions, will continue to play club rugby but said “the time has come to step down” from the arrangement international Friday.
“It was an honor to represent my country but all good things must come to an end,” said the 32-year-old. “The time has now come to resign. There were many highs and lows. I would like to thank everyone who helped me along the way.”
Vunipola is currently suspended for four weeks after receiving a red card for a dangerous tackle against Newcastle on December 30 and missed the Rugby World Cup in France after failing to recover from a back injury in time for selection. Fellow loose ends Joe Marler, Bevan Rodd and Val Rapava-Ruskin are also sidelined through injury but there was more encouraging news for Borthwick ahead of the England head coach announcing his Six Nations squad next week in the form of a positive update from Bristol on Ellis Genge fitness.
Bristol head coach Pat Lam said Genge, who is a contender for the England captaincy, could return before the Six Nations start on February 2, having not played since early December due to a hamstring injury.
“Ellis has a chance to start in the Six Nations. It is on the right track,” said Lam. “He has started running and will probably be with us in training next week. It also looks bigger, and one thing you can do when you’re injured is to get bigger, stronger, faster and more powerful.”
Former captain Will Carling, meanwhile, claimed earlier on Friday that England’s representation is no longer the “pinnacle” of players and suggested there is more to Owen Farrell’s decision not to make himself available do not abuse social media.
In a scathing criticism of the national set-up, Carling expressed his concern about young players trying to move abroad and rule themselves out for England and believes representation lacks as much control over the national side as during his career.
Farrell was unavailable for the Six Nations last month, citing the need to prioritize the mental wellbeing of his family. He has since been strongly linked with a move to Racing 92 at the end of the season which would follow his break in England.
Carling, who worked closely with Farrell in a leadership capacity when Eddie Jones was in charge of England, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It’s really sad, isn’t it? And I think from the point of view of rugby supporters and [as] England fans, which I am, you see a man who was very passionate, he is competitive and who was always very proud to play for England.
“Although there’s a part of me that thinks there’s a bit more to it than just social media. For a man who has the strength, mentally and physically, to leave England, there is still something else in the back of my mind.”
Asked to elaborate, Carling said: “I can’t but I think there are a range of issues. He’s not alone, is he? There are some younger players who have walked away from England to France. The attraction of playing for England has always been incredible to me, so you have to ask some serious questions, and I think people have to be in the right positions, why are people walking away from playing for their country . Playing for your country still has to be the highlight so it has to be something players love to do and want to do again and, to be honest, that’s clearly not the case. present.”
While Farrell’s England future remains in the balance, Henry Arundell, Joe Marchant, David Ribbans and Jack Willis are unavailable for the Six Nations after moving to France. “We have to get the England game,” Carling said. “We should have a game here that attracts the best talent – English and foreign – and I think we need to look at how the game is run.”
“Let’s be honest – it hasn’t been good for a long, long time. The game has been allowed to fall into the situation it is now. We need to change our mindset and think: ‘We need to build a game that inspires young people.’”
Another departure came in the form of Scottish chief executive Mark Dodson, who announced on Friday that he would be stepping down in the summer. However, Dodson, whose contract was due to run until 2025, denied he was motivated by outside pressure over the Scottish Rugby Union’s handling of the death of women’s Test player Siobhan Cattigan.
Dodson’s announcement comes two months after the governing body apologized – via a statement from recently appointed chairman John McGuigan – for the way it dealt with the death of 26-year-old Cattigan in November 2021.
Cattigan’s family said her health had deteriorated significantly due to undetected rugby-related brain damage, and also criticized Scottish Rugby for failing to inform some of her colleagues of the family’s wishes to attend her funeral and also for not trying to honor. her at an international game until almost 18 months after her death.
Dodson said: “There is no connection. It’s an upsetting situation and it was a difficult time for everyone, but it didn’t affect my decision.”
The 63-year-old – who has polarized opinion during his 13-year reign – added: “There were a number of factors at work to influence my decision. When we achieved the World Cup, I thought long and hard with the family and we believed that it was right that the next cycle of the World Cup should be given to someone who is going to achieve it in really.”
