Billy will be back in even better shape says Brits
Vunipola will be out for three months which means he is likely to miss the start of the Six Nations. However, Sarries success in fast-tracking the rehabilitation process allowed George Kruis to make a remarkable recovery from ankle surgery and be included in England’s autumn Test programme.
They have also been preparing Maro Itoje for a return from a broken hand.
Now, Vunipola is under the care of the strength and conditioning teamed head by Phil Morrow and Brits expects the back rower to burst back in great shape.
Brits, who underwent knee reconstruction at the end of 2014, said:”We have Phil Morrow and Andy Edwards and they have been fantastic with the performance and medical side of the club. There is a commitment from you and them to get you back stronger than before you were injured.
“It is not a case of ‘how quickly can we get you back’ it is a case of ‘how can we get you back better than you were’. It means you get effort from the player and staff and go forward in the best possible way.
“If they need more advice then they go and get experts to help and we are fortunate to have this help. Billy will be going through the same process.
“At Sarries there is no difference between an international player and anyone else coming back from injury. The staff see everyone as an individual with their own injury to be dealt with and they find the best way to deal with their rehab programme.”
Vunipola, like Kruis, can expect to be constantly working during his rehab and Brits says it is light years away from how injured players used to be treated.
“Back in the day, if you got injured you probably had a couple of weeks; now they make sure that when you get back you are so conditioned you can get right into it,”added Brits. “We always joke that it is worse being injured in terms of the amount of work you do than if you are playing! They do a lot more off the pitch fitness work when in the past you would be lying on your back relaxing. They have the medical proof behind what they are doing and they research everything.
“Billy and George Kruis are important but so is a Scott Spurling and we have always believed that we have a special squad and no one person is more important than anyone else. That is the way we do things. We try to push the barriers in the way we play and also from a lifestyle perspective.
“Players have short career spans and there is a strong emphasis on what comes next after the rugby is over. It is a case of guys realising that you may earn good cash for five or ten years – if you are lucky – but how can we assist you to be as qualified as possible to make a successful transition.
“Only one or two per cent of players can became rugby coaches or referees and speaking to ex-players, the transition can be difficult. Will I follow Richard Haughton into refereeing? Definitely not, I am not ready for the abuse!”
NEALE HARVEY
