Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'There's no such thing as untouchables': Mako Vunipola on the allegation Eddie Jones has undroppable England favourites

(Photo by PA)

Mako Vunipola has claimed there are no untouchables in Eddie Jones’ England team despite criticism that the coach isn’t ruthless enough and keeps selecting a plethora of underperforming stars. There has been a clamour this year for the Australian to shake-up his misfiring England selection.

ADVERTISEMENT

However, he has shown a huge amount of loyalty to established players and is expected to back them again on Thursday when he announces his XV to face France on Saturday in the Guinness Six Nations. 

England head into that fixture having had the grip on their 2020 title loosened by February defeats to Scotland and Wales and how Jones now selects his team will be closely monitored by fans who believe there is a culture whereby poor performances by his favourite players aren’t sufficiently punished.

Video Spacer

Finn Russell guests on RugbyPass Offload with Simon Zebo and Ryan Wilson

Video Spacer

Finn Russell guests on RugbyPass Offload with Simon Zebo and Ryan Wilson

The 30-year-old Vunipola doesn’t go along with that accusation, though, claiming that no-one – not even under-fire England skipper Owen Farrell – takes anything for granted despite the evidence to the contrary this past month.  

“No, I don’t know who these untouchables are, to be honest. I hope I’m one of them – I’m joking. No, there is no such thing as untouchables,” he said. “Obviously when you are the captain, as Owen is, there is a perception that he is untouchable but there is no such thing. 

“The reason that he is the captain is that he is a leader first and foremost and then the way you are picked is from the way you are on the field here in training and where you are around the park and the environment. This stuff about untouchables is not for me to comment on. We believe in what we are doing and Eddie will do what is best for the team.

“Nothing is taken for granted here. Every game is a new game and whoever Eddie feels is the best for the game he will do that. As you have seen in the past he is not afraid to make big calls. We understand that as players and the biggest thing for us is we know the belief hasn’t wavered in what we are doing. We believe in what we are doing as a squad and that what we are doing at the minute is the best for us.”

ADVERTISEMENT

England’s penalty count will come in for much scrutiny at Twickenham as they have conceded 41 in their three matches in the tournament so far, a situation that resulted in RFU referees Wayne Barnes and Matthew Carley spending time in camp this week to try and iron out their problems.

Some England players rang Jones last week in the aftermath of the loss to Wales to address their indiscipline in Cardiff, but Vunipola wasn’t one of them although he now admits he should have been. “I actually didn’t ring him but I should have done. I should have rung him and told him that both the penalties I gave away were very silly… I should have rung him but I didn’t.

“With the extra help of Wayne Barnes coming in and Matt Carley, giving us an extra understanding of where we can learn from the game, it has been good for the group to learn from that as players but it also comes back down to individual responsibility of understanding the context of the game, where we could improve.

“Although there were a lot of penalties there wasn’t a clear trend of where the penalties were coming from. They were all pretty different penalties, which we have spoken about, and the best thing for us now is how we react. We have got a great opportunity against a good French side.”

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JPM 29 minutes ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Unfortunately you don't know anything about French rugby, coaches and players but still making a lot of assumptions and judgements to push your prefabricated and simplistic point of view that Dupont is manipulating everything and is a bad guy. I am not a NZ rugby specialist and wouldn't dare make such theories about what is going on within the ABs team. Therefore my advice to you is to do like Dupont and stay humble when you don't know all the background of the issues !!!


Firstly if you knew a bit of Galthié, he is not the type of coach who is going to ask advice to his players and even his captain about team selection. He is as stubborn as you...


Second Ramos has played a lot of times as 10 with Toulouse and therefore Dupont (in particular when Ntamack is injured and unfortunately it has often happened recently and for long periods). He even played 10 during the last 3 games of the 2024 6N and this was far better performance than the first two games with Jalibert as 10.


Thirdly Jalibert lacked of respect to a La Rochelle player so your theory is once again out.


Fourth as I explained to you Galthié went for a 6-2 bench and Jalibert can only play 10 which doesn't fit that plan. Furthermore as 15 Buros is better under high balls than Ramos and everybody is prepared for a tactical kicking game.


So you can blame Galthié for a lot of things (as you clearly enjoy doing at the end of your post and you should be very happy as an AB fan) but certainly not Dupont. Sorry once more for your conspiracy theory.


And don't worry about potential disharmony in the French team; they are excellent mates around their captain. Jalibert is well known in the French rugby circles to have not a strong character (and we saw that in the WC quarter finals as he is very nervous in any decisive international game unlike Ntamack and Ramos as for his late penalty kick vs England this year).


In conclusion enjoy the game tmrw night. It is good that the ABs are very upset; we should watch a great game of rugby. I hope for running rugby and not too much kicking. With 5 key players injured on our side (Ntamack, Baille, Atonio, Cros and Penaud) and 2 on your side I and various French fans see you as favourites. I obviously hope for another result.


If you are interested you can read a good article in the Guardian on the subject of France-NZ games.

92 Go to comments
K
KB 31 minutes ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

Consistency hasnt been there they have many great players SA were also not unbeaten in the 2023 WC - NZ were in 2015 WC McCaw and Carter Nonu and Smith - SA did not have those Marque players in those postions in 2019 or 2023 - I wouldnt rank them ahead of the 20I5 ABs - They clocked up 60 points against France in the QF - Furthermore I do not believe for one moment SA won 2023 fairly no way - they were so favoured it became obvious that behind the scenes SA the nation bought the title - Their last 3 matches were won by a solitary point there were many contentious decisions that went their way that it became obvious it wasnt coincidence - Sport has been hijacked by a satanic cult just as is Politics

Some players coaches officials and sponsors are involved - they know who they are - its called Freemasonry - any sport that allows betting is corrupt - its not all about money either for these parasites its also about control - Lots of American NFL players have spoken openly about games being scripted - Football is also rigged Referees have been caught on film showing freemason hand signs - The 95 RWC final ranks as the highest and most obvious attempt at cheating There was no way SA were going to allow NZ to gate crash Nelson Mandelas reunification party - NZ were so good they had to posion almost the entire team to get a 3 point win - a Hollywood Movie ( theres your Red Flag ) was made about SAs triumph called Invictus


William Henley wrote a poem called Invictus


It starts


Out of the night that covers me BLACK ( All Blacks ) as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever GODS maybe for my unconquerable Soul ...( Olan says INVICTUS is an evil Malevolent entity who corrupted the Titans ... this is Mandelas double meaning speech ( hes a fraud ) - of thanks for helping overcome SA's adversary NZ - There is only ONE true God Yahuah - Only a false god would be complicit in Cheating Corruption and Harming others to win a RWC for a sick and sinful Nation ) the poem ends with


I am the CAPTAIN of my soul


SA will forever bear the stain of guilt and disgrace over their involvement in poisoning the ABs a day before the 95 RWC Final

10 Go to comments
C
CO 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

I cannot believe that you don't think the French rugby team coach and captain are not discussing putting Jalibert on the bench in favour of Duponts club teammate that doesn't even play at 10.


This is a terrible, massive insult to a 10 and I'm sure Dupont would also be very enraged if benched for a player that doesn't even play halfback.


A good captain would've insisted to the coach that it was an idea of madness and either select Jalibert or replace him with another 10 if you want him to be reserve.


Jalibert may not be the world's finest tacklers but that's often not a tens main strength that the loose forwards and second five cover. An intercept pass is never great but they happen.


When any player is playing for his club then it's club first, respect doesn't need to be shown to opposition players simply because they're internationals.


Who exactly are you claiming Jalibert hasn't respected? If it's Toulouse international players then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this bench demotion out.


The outcome of selecting Jalibert to the bench and he then throwing his croissants out the window of the team bus immediately prior to playing the Allblacks is a disaster that will be team disharmony as any team mates of Jalibert are in a state of anger and revolt so a performance that will be sub optimal against a team that is thirsting for revenge against France.


I don't know about you but the Allblacks are very upset they've lost twice in a row to France and want to put out a statement performance so this preparation by Galthie of creating havoc looks to me like a coach that is clueless.

92 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Raffaele Storti: The Portuguese 'arrow' poised to carve up Murrayfield Raffaele Storti: The Portuguese 'arrow' poised to carve up Murrayfield
Search