Mako Vunipola to start for Sarries, despite being stood down by England

Mako Vunipola will start for Saracens in their Premiership clash with Leicester Tigers on Saturday after being omitted from England’s Six Nations squad to face Wales on “medical grounds”.

England stood Vunipola down on the advice of their medical team amid concerns over the spread of the coronavirus, the prop having briefly travelled through Hong Kong en route home from a trip to visit family in Tonga.

Though Vunipola was not placed in self-isolation and had not reported any illness, England felt it was best to leave him away from their “camp-based environment” ahead of Saturday’s encounter at Twickenham.

Saracens took a different view, though, explaining that they followed guidance from the health authorities and that neither Mako Vunipola nor his injured brother Billy had “displayed symptoms of the coronavirus” following assessments.

Mako Vunipola will therefore take his place in Saracens’ starting XV for the visit of Leicester.

Saracens are bottom of the table due to their 105-point deduction over salary cap breaches while the Tigers are directly above them in 11th, having won just four of their 12 fixtures to date.

TEAM’S UP!

Nine changes to win at Saints @Mako_Vunipola is back on club duty @bradbarritt returns as skip

Full team news can be found on the website https://t.co/CM3B2iA6Gg pic.twitter.com/ZEXvWfDwgN

— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) March 6, 2020

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