Mako Vunipola out of Wales clash due to ‘medical issue’
England's Mako Vunipola during the training session at Twickenham Stadium, London.
Mako Vunipola will miss England’s Six Nations match with Wales on Saturday because of a medical issue, forwards coach Matt Proudfoot has said.
The Saracens prop was set to return to the fold after being included in an extended 34-man training squad on Monday.
But Proudfoot said on Tuesday: “Mako is not with us now. He has got a medical issue so he won’t be available for the weekend. It is just something medical, so he is out for the weekend.”
Vunipola had originally been expected to miss the clash with the Grand Slam champions after recently travelling to Tonga for unspecified personal reasons.
But the 29-year-old did not join the rest of the group after being advised to self-isolate due to concerns over the coronavirus.
The loosehead stopped over in Hong Kong on his way back from the Pacific Island and will now miss the fixture after putting himself in quarantine.
“Mako is not in camp on medical grounds. He is not sick, but it is a precaution,” a Rugby Football Union spokesperson said.
There have been 51 coronavirus cases in the UK, while the first confirmed case of the virus in Hong Kong occurred on January 23.
It has since risen to 100 cases in the Chinese city, and Vunipola is now expected to spend the next 14 days in self-isolation despite showing no symptoms.