Borthwick: England omitted Mako Vunipola due to Six Nations camp-based environment

Steve Borthwick says Mako Vunipola was stood down on medical advice due to England’s 24/7 “camp-based environment” – insisting the prop has not been placed in self-isolation amid the coronavirus outbreak.

England on Tuesday revealed that Vunipola will not feature in the Six Nations clash with Wales at Twickenham on Saturday for “medical reasons”.

The British and Irish Lion was ruled out after travelling back from Tonga via Hong Kong, but Saracens on Wednesday stated he had been cleared to play for the Premiership champions against Leicester this weekend.

England assistant coach Borthwick explained that the Rugby World Cup runners-up could not take any risks.

“Our medical team looks at our team environment, not other people’s,” Borthwick told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“And that’s the advice we followed. We are a camp-based environment and we stay in together 24 hours a day effectively.

“Mako didn’t come into camp on the advice of our medical team, who looked into the situation closely and as a precaution they advised us that the best thing for our environment was for him not to come in.

“Mako is not ill, he is not in self-isolation, but the advice we got for our environment from our medical team and the relevant parties they consulted was that he should not come into camp, and that’s the advice we followed.”

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