Saracens and England No 8 Billy Vunipola to miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury; Vunipola was stretchered off during his team's Heineken Champions Cup defeat to La Rochelle last weekend; Rugby World Cup takes place between September 8 and October 28
Wednesday 12 April 2023 14:36, UK
Saracens and England No 8 Billy Vunipola will miss the rest of the domestic season due to a knee injury with his World Cup hopes now unclear.
Saracens have not disclosed exactly how long Vunipola is set to be out for but he will play no further part in their 2022-2023 campaign.
The former Wasps player was taken off on a stretcher during the first half of Saracens' Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final defeat to La Rochelle on Sunday.
The 2023 Rugby World Cup takes place in France between September 8 and October 28.
Vunipola has won 67 caps for England but has not played for his country since November of last year.
Former Wales and British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton recently declared that Vunipola should be reinstated to the back row for the World Cup on the basis of the ball-carrying power he provides.
Vunipola will sit out Premiership leaders Saracens' last three games of the regular season - against Northampton Saints, London Irish and Bath - and their home semi-final.
The 30-year-old will also miss the Twickenham final if Saracens reach that stage.
