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'He's pretty unique in terms of his skill set for loosehead prop'
By Liam Heagney
Saracens have explained how chuffed they have been with the input of Mako Vunipola in recent months, outlining that he adopted an Owen Farrell-like coaching perspective off the pitch while injured before quickly returning to form when he finally got to play again following a ten-week injury layoff.
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The 31-year-old limped off with an ankle syndesmosis problem in the March 5 win over Leicester and an operation was required for him to overcome that issue. Much like England and Saracens skipper Farrell did when he was out injured and was seen assisting his club coaches, assistant Kevin Sorrell has now outlined that Vunipola did likewise while he was sidelined.
It was the weekend of May 14 when the prop was passed fit and he has since started twice, versus Toulon in the Challenge Cup semi-finals and again the following week against Northampton in the Gallagher Premiership before ending also his England exile with a recall for a three-day training camp in London.
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It left Saracens backs coach Sorrell delighted with the influence recently wielded by Vunipola. “When he wasn’t on the pitch for those ten weeks had an impact off the pitch with his rugby intelligence,” explained the coach to RugbyPass ahead of this weekend’s Premiership game at Gloucester.
“Mako is a smart player and he has been able to sit with other coaches and players and help them in terms of feedback or ideas for what we need in certain games.
“He was still massively active even though he wasn’t involved on the pitch. On the pitch, he is pretty unique in terms of his skill set for a loosehead prop, what he can do on the ball and then obviously what he can create around him as well. It’s nice having him back on the pitch,” continued Sorrell, highlighting the advantages of a seasoned player having a rare layoff.
“It’s a real treadmill, some of those boys in terms of game time and what they do. You don’t want enforced breaks but it’s an opportunity to freshen up not only your body but your mind as well.
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“We did it with Owen as well (having him up in the stand for games). When Owen wasn’t playing we got him up into the box to see two ways really, to see how we operate and what we talk about during the game so that the players have that perspective when they go back out onto the pitch.
“But also to get their opinion as well because they have got a different set of eyes, a different brain, so it’s just getting their shared opinions really to see how they can make an impact on the performance on the pitch.”
Having coached the backs since 2012/13 as part of a coaching group that has given long service to Saracens, Sorrell added that the viewpoints of the likes of Vunipola and Farrell were refreshing.
“Definitely. As the group has developed, that is where the trust of the coaches is in terms of our involvement and what we can do with them, how we can use those players and when they own it, it’s brilliant. We have got some unbelievable senior players who drive things week to week to week, so when they feel like they are steering the ship it’s good.”
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