Saracens Mako Vunipola is in shape to make up for lost time

On the face of it Mako Vunipola‘s life at Saracens could not have begun any better – two starts, two man-of-the-match awards – however, the giant 21-year-old is anxious to put the record straight.
While Vunipola’s maiden league start came in the London double-header against London Irish, the loose head prop had endured a frustrating 12 months at Saracens.
After joining from Bristol in 2011, Vunipola admitted he found the step up to Premiership level a huge shock with a broken metatarsal followed by a hamstring tear making his first season a write-off.
Yet it was during those lay-offs that Sarries fitness coach Craig McFarlane, right,  cracked the whip, reducing his body-fat percentage while increasing his strength.
Those benefits were clear in his first Sarries start against the Pacific Barbarians where he stole the show from the likes of Mils Muliaina in Hong Kong and he admits that his injury misery was actually a blessing in disguise.
“Last year was a big wake-up call coming here from Bristol,” Vunipola told The Rugby Paper.
“Saracens expect a lot more from their players and I probably came here with a different mindset. Those injuries were incredibly frustrating. Doing my metatarsal in November meant I missed the chance to get involved during the Six Nations.
“But I wasn’t in great shape and that gave me the chance to have an extra pre-season under Oscar (McFarlane). He pushed me really hard, doing fitness every day and now I’m a lot stronger and leaner than I was before so when I came back from injury I felt better than I ever had.
“I thought I’d played well in pre-season but I did not expect to get the nod at Twickenham. That was a big vote of confidence and now I’ve got my chance I want to make the most of it.”
That could be the first of several trips to Twickenham for Vunipola. While his dad Fe’ao was a Tongan international and he was brought up in Wales, Mako – along with his brother Billy, the Wasps back row – have made clear their allegiances lie with the Red Rose.
That is music to the ears of Alex Sanderson, who was a coach at the RFU National Academy when Vunipola first burst onto the scene and is now Saracens’ forwards coach.
He said: “I do not risk my reputation lightly but Mako has the potential to be a world-class international loose head.
“We always knew he had the talent when he came here from Bristol but he had a frustrating year with injuries although he was pushing John Smit very hard towards the end of the season.
“But throughout pre-season he’s been brilliant and it’s only injury that will hold him back.
“I coached Joe Marler at the same age and there’s not much difference between them apart from Joe has played a full season of Premiership rugby.”
Tipping the scales at 20st and possessing a healthy streak of Islander footballing skills, it is clear where the raw ingredients lie in Vunipola’s potential.
Against Irish, Sarries dominated the scrum thanks to his efforts while he truly came alive in the loose showcased by one offload for a disallowed Steve Borthwick try.  Vunipola said: “I’ve always enjoyed having the ball in my hands but as a prop you get judged on your set-piece so that’s always my priority.
“I know I still have a lot I need to improve. I know that it will be hard work just to get in the team with people like Rhys Gill and Matt Stevens here.
“That’s all I am concentrating on and if I play well then maybe I will get more recognition but that’s a long, long way away.”
It might not be as long as Vunipola suspects with a full season of rugby under his belt with Sanderson far from the only Saracens coach to be convinced he is destined for the very top.
Defence coach Paul Gustard said: “He might look 35, but as a 21-year-old he is a special, special player.
“He has the talent to do what no other prop in world rugby can do – he has got a hell of a step, he can carry and has the power to be an incredibly destructive loose head.
“He will get his head shoved up his backside a few times but that is just part of the development cycle for any young prop but I’m just incredibly excited to watch his development.”
DANIEL SCHOFIELD