The China Mail - Banned Vunipola still available for Six Nations opener

Vunipola received a red card late in Saracens' 37-19 win away to strugglers Newcastle in the English Premiership on Saturday following a dangerous tackle on Falcons hooker Bryan Byrne.

Suspensions in rugby union traditionally run across all competitions a player is involved in, with the 32-year-old Vunipola now ruled out of Saracens' Premiership matches against Leicester and Exeter as well as the north London club's Champions Cup fixtures with French teams Bordeaux-Begles and Lyon.

But that leaves him free for England's Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome on February 3.

With his ban expiring just a week before the Stadio Olimpico match it would mean Vunipola going into the game 'cold' should head coach Steve Borthwick include him in his matchday 23.

Even so, Vunipola's availability is set to be some comfort for Borthwick given England's three World Cup squad loosehead props -- Ellis Genge, Joe Marler and Bevan Rodd -- are all currently injured.

Marler went off with an arm problem during Harlequins' 32-26 Premiership win over Gloucester at Twickenham last weekend.

"God love him, he battled on for a long time, but we have got specialists looking at him as we speak," Quins rugby director Billy Millard said Wednesday.

"Fingers crossed, it is only a short-term one. Joe is Joe. He is big for us in so many ways. Hopefully, it is not a long one for him."

Vunipola's case was heard by an independent disciplinary panel, with England's governing Rugby Football Union saying Wednesday: "The player admitted that foul play took place, but not that it met the red card threshold.

"The panel upheld the charge and Vunipola received a four-match ban.

"He is ineligible to take part in World Rugby's coaching intervention programme, having completed it in 2022."

Players can only go on the programme once in their career -- and can usually expect to have one game removed from their ban as a result.

But that option was no longer open to Vunipola because of his prior involvement in the course.

D.Pan--ThChM