London Irish face judgement day as Premiership relegation looms while Saracens recall Billy Vunipola

Exiles head into the penultimate weekend knowing that anything but victory will confirm their relegation to the Championship

Les Kiss and Declan Kidney have said they are committed to London Irish even in relegation (Getty)

London Irish’s faint hopes of Premiership survival were not done any good at all when midday on Friday struck and the weekend’s team news was announced, with the name of Billy Vunipola among their opponents, Saracens, making their relegation seem that little bit more likely.

With Irish nine points adrift at the foot of the Premiership table, anything but a victory will confirm their immediate return to the Championship next season, and the likelihood is that not even two wins from their two final games will be enough to keep them afloat with Worcester needing just two points from the games against a quickly-sinking Harlequins and Northampton Saints to guarantee safety.

As it is, the Exiles face the much tougher ask of facing second-placed Saracens on Sunday before visiting Bath on the final day of the season, and while the game at the Madejski Stadium will see the eagerly-awaited return of Billy Vunipola, the story looks set to be about Irish’s return to the second tier.

“We’ve trained well over the past two weeks and we’re under no illusions at the task in hand as we look forward to the challenge of facing a very good Saracens team,” said technical consultant Declan Kidney, who plans to stay on at the club alongside head coach Les Kiss even if they are relegated, having signed two-year deals when they were brought into the club in March.

Following their last defeat, a 45-5 thumping at the hands of leaders Exeter Chiefs, Kidney admitted that the club faces their own cup final. Lose this weekend, and there will be no second chance.

"I've enjoyed working here and if we can help the other coaches, players and the club come along then that's what we want to keep doing,” he said. "But we've got a situation where we've got a cup final, so the short-term goal is the only goal that needs to occupy our mind, and that's what we're fully focused on.

"I've enjoyed being back in rugby, and if it suits the players we can have a chat about it [staying], but that's the plan."

But turning attentions much higher up the table, it will not be just Saracens who will be glad to see the name B. Vunipola on the team sheet, even if fans will have to wait for his introduction from the replacements’ bench. The return of the No 8 – for the first time since fracturing his arm in the 15-15 draw with the Ospreys back in January – gives him a potential four matches to prove his fitness and earn selection on England’s tour of South Africa this summer.

It will be the latest return in an 20-month nightmare run of injuries, which has cost the 25-year-old a British and Irish Lions tour, nine England Tests and the bulk of the 2017/18 Premiership and European season. With that in mind, Saracens have been cautious with Vunipola’s return to action, and director of rugby Mark McCall will not rush the powerful back-row by throwing him on prematurely on Sunday.

Vunipola makes his latest return to injury after a nightmare 20 months (Getty)

"It's been almost 16 weeks that he's been out and we just need to be careful to put him into a rugby match without playing much rugby; although he's been out for that long, he was out for quite a long time with his previous injury and he doesn't really have a bank of games behind him this year. I think he's only played three full matches,” McCall said this week.

"It would be useful for him to have a couple of games before the semi-final for him to get back to somewhere near his best. The more game time he can get the better for Billy."

McCall has also been able to call on fit-again tighthead prop Vincent Koch, who replaces Juan Figallo, while Michael Rhodes is promoted to the starting XV at blindside flanker after coming through his return to action in the landslide victory over Bath two weeks ago. Alex Goode is brought back into the side at full-back, with Wales international Liam Williams shifting to wing and Chris Wyles dropping out of the side, while Jamie George, Ben Spencer and Duncan Taylor are also recalled.

The home side meanwhile will be led by hooker David Paice, who announced this week that he will retire at the end of the season after 15 years with the Exiles. Blair Cowan, who was recalled from his loan at Saracens this week, starts against the side he last played for three weeks ago, while Greig Tonks, Johnny Williams and Jake Schatz also come into the side.

Teams

London Irish: Greig Tonks; Joe Cokanasiga, Tom Fowlie, Johnny Williams, Alex Lewington; Theo Brophy Clews, Piet van Zyl; Ben Franks, David Paice, Ollie Hoskins; Josh McNally, Franco van der Merwe; Jake Schatz, Blair Cowan, Ofisa Treviranus.

Replacements: Dave Porecki, Harry Elrington, Petrus Du Plessis, Sebastian De Chaves, Josh Basham, Scott Steele, Luke McLean, Aseli Tikoirotuma.

Saracens: Alex Goode; Liam Williams, Duncan Taylor, Brad Barritt, Sean Maitland; Owen Farrell, Ben Spencer; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Vincent Koch; Maro Itoje, George Kruis; Michael Rhodes, Schalk Burger, Jackson Wray.

Replacements: Schalk Brits, Richard Barrington, Juan Figallo, Nick Isiekwe, Billy Vunipola, Richard Wigglesworth, Alex Lozowski, Marcelo Bosch.