Mako Vunipola left praying for family in Tokyo while England hunkered down in Miyazaki
England prop Mako Vunipola is praying for his loved ones in Tokyo as Super Typhoon Hagibis batters the Japanese capital. The nation's biggest hurricane for 61 years has brought devastation to vast swathes of Honshu after hitting landfall, resulting in evacuation orders, flooding and power blackouts.
England were able to escape Hagibis after their World Cup group game against France in Yokohama was cancelled, allowing them to travel to Miyazaki where they have begun preparations for the quarter-finals.
But many fans are stranded in Tokyo after jetting in to watch the match and Mako and his young brother Billy have a number of relatives who have been toughing out the 122mph winds and relentless rain accompanying the 870-mile-wide cyclone.
"We have families and friends there. That was probably the hardest thing to deal with - realising that the game wouldn't be on and trying to make plans for them," Vunipola said.
"My partner came over but went back before the game. My dad has just arrived and my aunties and cousins also came. My auntie has been here for the whole time. My dad had only come over for the France game, but I think he will stay for the Australia game.
(Continue reading below...)
"Japan are pretty used to typhoons and they have regulations to deal with it, so it's just a case of them doing as they're told and us hoping and praying that they are safe. We're talking to them as much as we can. It's worrying, but we're lucky because we're pretty sheltered from a lot of it.
"I just hope the damage isn't too much and people are OK. Obviously, you're focused on rugby but you know it's not the be-all and end-all, especially when you see things like this typhoon. You worry for people's safety."
Vunipola was poised to make only his second appearance of the World Cup against France after making his second comeback from a hamstring injury a week ago when Argentina were toppled at Tokyo Stadium.
The Saracens prop has been limited to 38 minutes of rugby since May 11 and he admits the cancelled game has been a significant blow. "I wanted to play as much as I can, to get a bit more game time under my belt," Vunipola said.
But you can't control these things and it's pretty serious. We as players don't make those calls, so we've just got to deal with it. We had an idea that it might happen but I didn't really think there was a chance the game would be cancelled. But two days before the game, we got the news.
"We'd had a tough day in training on Wednesday so I was a bit gutted because I'd worked hard. You want to play for your country as much as you can, but this has happened and we're here now.
"Before we came to the World Cup, we spoke about it and said this could be a reality, and now it has happened. It's just a case of getting ready for it, dealing with it and moving on as soon as possible."
- Press Association
WATCH: What rugby fans coming to Oita can expect at night during the World Cup
Latest Comments
I like to see the Crusaders lose as much as the next non-Crusaders fan, but the fact that most of their best players have not been available this year is being hand waved away like it shouldn’t effect them. It’s no coincidence that their first dominant performance came when they had more of their best players back. This is not rocket science. If they can stay fit their team at the business end of the season will include Tamaiti Williams, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell, Scott Barrett, Quentin Strange, Ethan Blackadder and Cullen Grace in the forwards - most of whom have barely, or not played this year. That is an outstanding pack that have not played together this season. McLeod, Havili, Aumua, Reece, and Halfpenny will be a very different prospect behind their first choice pack as well. Having said all that Penney’s record is scratchy at best, but given the players that have left and their injury list I’m reserving judgement. Penney’s appointment, a bit like Foz, has a similar stench of the incumbent having too much say in his replacement. They are lacking a truly high quality and experienced 10 which will make it hard for them to go the whole way IMO, but the list of teams who would want to play them in the finals will be very short.
Go to commentsWhere’s this people's champion come from? Irish people yes….other people? Their arrogance has become breathtaking. Not tested? Oh dear.
Go to comments