VMako unipola ready to return to Six Nations stage as England target 17 wins on the spin

Vunipola has been named in England head coach Eddie Jones’s 28-man squad after missing two months with knee ligament damage.

Jones watched Vunipola play 70 minutes for Saracens against Gloucester in the Aviva Premiership on Friday and the forward is likely to play at Twickenham on Sunday, either from the start or off the bench. There was also positive news regarding Mako’s younger brother Billy, who has not played since suffering a knee injury playing for England in November.

Billy Vunipola will join up with England today for a medical review, but he is not expected to play any part this weekend.

England, who will extend their winning streak to 17 matches if they beat Italy, sit top of the Six Nations table after victories over France and Wales.

England’s 28-man training squad:

Forwards: Jack Clifford (Harlequins), Dan Cole (Leicester), Charlie Ewels (Bath), Jamie George (Saracens), Teimana Harrison (Northampton), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), James Haskell (Wasps), Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Mike Williams (Leicester), Tom Wood (Northampton).

Backs: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Jonny May (Gloucester), Jack Nowell (Exeter), Henry Slade (Exeter), Ben Te’o (Worcester), Anthony Watson (Bath), Ben Youngs (Leicester).