I’ve not won the super 8s battle yet, admits Billy Vunipola

Billy Vunipola, in the space of a year, has progressed from being an exciting prospect into England’s premier ball-carrier.
But he knows from personal experience that all this could change in an instant and that any number of contenders at No.8 are ready to take his place.
Since his debut in Argentina last summer, the 21-year-old has joined Saracens from Wasps, topped the Aviva Premiership table, reached the Heineken Cup final and almost pushed England to a Six Nations title.
But an ankle injury sustained against eventual champions Ireland meant Ben Morgan finished the campaign in his place, and Vunipola knows the Gloucester man is not the only threat.
“You can’t rule anyone out,” Vunipola told The Rugby Paper.
“If you had told me last year that I would be in the position that I am now, a lot of people would have laughed at you.
“You just have to get on with it and I don’t see any English qualified No.8 not being in the frame – anything could happen.”
One name that in time may be added to the list is London Wasps’ Nathan Hughes – the Fijian-born battering ram who has taken the Premiership by storm since Christmas.
The 22-year-old, who arrived at Adams Park from Auckland, looks to have filled the void left by Vunipola last summer but with two years until English qualification, he will have to resist the charms of Fiji and Samoa ahead of next year’s World Cup.
“The more the merrier, I guess,” said Vunipola. “He’s done awesome. I am happy for him and for Wasps, my old team. I have seen a couple of his games and he is very strong and powerful.
“It’s his decision to make; but either way I’ve just got to keep going and keep trying to improve.”
The options for Lancaster are plentiful, with such as Exeter Chiefs‘ Dave Ewers and Northampton Saints‘ Sam Dickinson also in the hunt, while, closer to home, Jackson Wray has caught the eye despite having to fight Vunipola for his shirt.
“I think Jackson Wray has been awesome all year, when he scored his hat-trick against Worcester, he showed that his speed just adds another dimension to his game.  I love playing with him,” said Vunipola.
“He’s seen the competition in the back row and he’s definitely put his hand up, he likes to carry and takes the burden off and he hits people hard.”
At the other end of the age spectrum, Vunipola believes Quins veteran Nick Easter has not lost a step in his race to regain an England shirt.
“I don’t think I’ve seen him play a bad game this year – he’s consistently playing well,” he said. “He’s strong, fit and he goes up in the lineout as well, which is something I can’t do. He’s definitely up there as one of the best back- rows in the Premiership at the moment.
“If you can bring that power and that experience it obviously adds to the team and he brings a lot of both. He is a very smart player.”
Vunipola treasured his first Six Nations outing and with a trip to world champions New Zealand on the horizon there is plenty of incentive to return to the fold immediately.
“I enjoyed every minute of it and I believe that everything happens for a reason,” he said. “I’m not saying I enjoyed getting injured but Ben played really well when he came on and as a team they carried on going forward.
“I was a bit envious of the situation but I was happy to see them keep winning.
“Hopefully I can add to that and it is exciting to battle it out with Ben or Ewers or Dickinson – there are lots of players out there and I just have to stay on my A-game. It has taken a lot of hard work to get to where I am today, but if I stay the same or don’t try and improve then people will overtake me and that’s not the way to be.
“Hopefully I can get myself back in the frame and put my best foot forward – and I believe that will mean I’ll be in an England shirt again.”
NEALE HARVEY