Six Nations 2016: Billy Vunipola says closer England camp is already helping results

Billy Vunipola finished last year’s World Cup even more quickly than the England team, thanks to an injury suffered during the damaging defeat by Wales at Twickenham, and spent the immediate aftermath indicating that things had not gone particularly smoothly behind the scenes. The No 8 is feeling better about life now – and not merely because his performance against Scotland three days ago was the finest of his Test career.

“You’re more comfortable with people you work alongside when you know what motivates them, what interests them and you understand what you can do to help them,” said the Saracens forward, who had previously talked about a lack of quality “bonding time” during the World Cup build-up and been heard to wonder during a BBC radio interview whether the players might have had a closer camaraderie if they had spent a few more evenings in the pub.

“It’s important for me to know what someone else is about: it works better when you build relationships with people, rather than just rock up and play,” he continued. “We’ve had a few bonding sessions in this camp and taken a different tack. It’s not something you can really measure, but I’m enjoying it. I hope it will work for us on the long run.”

Vunipola was reluctant to subscribe to the popularly held view that his Calcutta Cup display set new standards – “I don’t know; you’re the critics,” he remarked, evasively – but he was aware that Eddie Jones, the head coach, had given him the maximum rating in his after-match analysis. “Eddie has been very personable,” he said.

“He’s filled me with confidence and that’s what I thrive on. I don’t need someone to shout at me – I know what I have to do. I just need someone to reassure me and look after me.”

Despite his accomplishments in Edinburgh and the excitement surrounding his personal confrontation with the great Italian No 8, Sergio Parisse, in Rome on Sunday, Vunipola claimed that his brother, the loose-head prop Mako, was the family member with the skillset to die for – a view corroborated by events in the build-up to England’s second try at the weekend, when the front-rower executed a defence-befuddling pass so subtle and sophisticated that Daniel Carter himself might have envied it.

“Mako definitely has the better skills – he’s more comfortable with ball in hand,” he said. “For him to come off the bench and throw a pass out the back like that was great. It’s fun, playing international rugby with your brother, even though he tells me to shut up when I try to gee him up in the scrums. Not many people get to do what we do.”

England have added back rows Matt Kvesic and Josh Beaumont to their training squad for the Italy game.

Wales, who face Scotland in Cardiff on Saturday, are not yet certain whether Dan Biggar, the preferred choice at outside-half, will recover from a sprained ankle in time to play. If he fails to make the cut, Rhys Priestland will make his first Six Nations start since 2014.

Ireland, meanwhile, are in danger of losing the left wing Keith Earls to injury before their match with France in Paris. Earls suffered a suspected concussion against Wales and with the Lions Test back Tommy Bowe out with long-term injury, his absence would be less than ideal. The full-back Rob Kearney is in the mix for a return to the starting line-up, however. He missed last weekend’s opener with hamstring problems.