Mako Vunipola: England prop stood down because of ’24/7 camp environment’

England’s “24/7 camp environment” contributed to Mako Vunipola being stood down as a coronavirus precaution, says assistant coach Steve Borthwick.

Vunipola will not be involved in Saturday’s Six Nations game against Wales after travelling through Hong Kong at the weekend.

But he has continued to train with club Saracens as he is symptom free.

“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.”

Ireland’s game against Italy has been postponed because of the virus, but Six Nations organisers said on Monday the rest of the weekend’s fixtures would go ahead.

Lock Maro Itoje, 25, admitted the coronavirus situation in general was “a little bit weird” but said the outbreak has not distracted England from the task at hand.

“The focus has fully been on Wales,” he added. “This is Test match week. We can control what we can control in front of us.

“Wales are a top team. Any team they play against, they always put teams under pressure. I’m sure they’re going to come to Twickenham looking for a win.

“They’re an extremely passionate group of people so it’s going to be a good test for us.”