Billy Vunipola in hot water for World Cup after Owen Farrell-inspired red card
If you live in England and play rugby, there is a very good chance that you could be called up to Steve Borthwick’s team soon with the amount of bans that might be coming their way following yet another red card this weekend.
It was No8 Billy Vunipola who was shown red against Ireland with a tackle very similar to Owen Farrell’s last week against Wales. On this occasion it was the head of Andrew Porter that Vunipola was smashing his shoulder into, with no effort to wrap his arm.
Though this last week has proven that citings and bannings can be a bit of a lottery, most would expect a ban is incoming for the England No8, but how long is anyone’s guess in this climate. This causes more problems for Borthwick than Farrell being red carded, as Vunipola was the only No8 in England’s World Cup squad.
That is now the third red card in four games for England, and it must be a real area of concern for the coaching team.
IRELAND XV: Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster); Mack Hansen (Galway Corinthians/Connacht), Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster), Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht), James Lowe (Leinster); Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster); Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster), James Ryan (UCD/Leinster) (capt), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster), Cian Prendergast (UCD/Connacht).
Replacements:Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Jeremy Loughman (Garryowen/Munster), Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht), Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster), Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster), Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster), Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster).
ENGLAND XV: Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers); Anthony Watson (Unattached), Joe Marchant (Stade Francais), Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks), Elliot Daly (Saracens); George Ford (Sale Sharks), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers); Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears), Jamie George (Saracens), Will Stuart (Bath), Maro Itoje (Saracens), David Ribbans (Toulon), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints) (capt), Ben Earl (Saracens), Billy Vunipola (Saracens).
Replacements: Theo Dan (Saracens), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), Jack Willis (Toulouse), Danny Care (Harlequins), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Ollie Lawrence (Bath).
