2. Billy Vunipola
Billy Vunipola has been called up by Steve Borthwick for the first time, following the shock self-withdrawal of number eight Sam Simmonds. The soon-to-be Montpellier star voluntarily dropped out of Borthwick’s plans ahead of the Summer preparations, which opened up the door for the currently side-lined Vunipola.
The 30-year-old suffered a knee injury in the Heineken Champions Cup semi-final, as Saracens were eliminated from the competition by La Rochelle. The powerhouse forward missed the remainder of the season for Sarries, and sat out the 2022/23 Premiership Final, as the Men in Black recorded a 35-25 victory over Sale Sharks.