Mako Vunipola

Obano recalled for Ireland showdown as Mako Vunipola is ruled out

England head coach Eddie Jones will be without the availability of Mako Vunipola for Sunday’s clash against Ireland at Twickenham.

Vunipola has travelled to Tonga to tend to a family issue to become unavailable for selection, and that has allowed Bath prop Beno Obano to join up with Jones’ squad.

Obano, 25, made his return to the England fold last summer in the non-Test classified win over the Barbarians.

The loosehead had been included in two previous England squads prior to the 51-43 victory at Twickenham, but is still awaiting his full debut.

It is an otherwise unchanged 33-man team, centres Manu Tuilagi (groin) and Henry Slade (knee) both remain despite being out of contention for the trip to almost a fortnight ago.

Tuilagi was an early casualty in England’s 24-17 defeat to in the opening round of the tournament, but is considered to be good to go against Ireland.

That could test Jones’ perseverance with a 10-12 combination of George Ford and captain Owen Farrell.

Jonny Sexton, Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw caused Wales problems to give new Ireland head coach Andy Farrell a promising 24-14 win at the start of his tenure.

And Ireland and British & Irish Lions legend Brian O’Driscoll has warned Eddie Jones against making an ‘scaremongering’ tactics in the lead up to the showdown some are calling ‘Farrell v Farrell’.

“He said something about Jonny Sexton and brought his mum and dad into it four years ago and that’s not benefiting or building the game – that’s scaremongering.

“We don’t want that – we’re trying to help the product, not hinder it. Sometimes he gets it wrong.

“I think the stuff about brutality is harmless enough – particularly when you get your backside handed to you after the game so we can all have a good chuckle about it.

“There are many different sides to Eddie. I think he very much thinks about what he is saying and is quite calculated. I think there are certain things that are close to the edge.”

Forwards
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter )
( Sharks)
Tom Dunn (Bath Rugby)
Ben Earl ()
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)
Ellis Genge ( Tigers)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
George Kruis (Saracens)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints)
(Harlequins)
Beno Obano (Bath Rugby)
Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)
Harry Williams ()

Backs
Elliot Daly (Saracens)
Ollie Devoto (Exeter Chiefs)
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints)
Willi Heinz (Gloucester Rugby)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
Jonny May (Leicester Tigers)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Ollie Thorley (Gloucester Rugby)
Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
Jacob Umaga (Wasps)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

Apprentice player
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints)

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