Friday 6 March 2020 13:52, UK
Saracens have named Mako Vunipola in their starting line-up for the visit of Leicester on Saturday, despite him being stood down by England on medical advice.
England made the decision to keep the prop away from their camp ahead of Saturday's Six Nations fixture against Wales after he travelled to Tonga via Hong Kong on his way to visit family.
Vunipola has shown no symptoms of coronavirus and has been training with Saracens this week, meaning he is fit to come in as one of nine changes for Saturday's Premiership fixture against the Tigers.
Speaking earlier this week, England's forwards coach Steve Borthwick said Vunipola's absence was a precaution, explaining: "The advice from our medical team was that the right thing to do was for Mako not to join us.
"Mako is not ill. Mako is not in self-isolation but the precaution we were advised to take was for him not to come into camp because of the nature of our environment.
"Our doctor knows inside and out our environment. We're here in a camp 24 hours a day together and the relevant parties understand the situation. The medical team gave that advice and we are certainly going to follow that advice."
However, Public Health England said on Friday England's decision to stand Vunipola down from the clash with Wales was not necessary.
A tweet from their official account read: "Earlier this week the Rugby Football Union asked a player, having returned from travel overseas, to not attend the camp to avoid the risk of spread, which was not necessary as he was not displaying any symptoms."
Starting XI: Matt Gallagher, Rotimi Segun, Dom Morris, Brad Barritt, Alex Lewington, Manu Vunipola, Richard Wigglesworth; Mako Vunipola, Tom Woolstencroft, Vincent Koch, Will Skelton, Joel Kpoku, Nick Isiekwe, Sean Reffell, Calum Clark
Replacements: Jack Singleton, Richard Barrington, Titi Lamositele, Callum Hunter-Hill, Mike Rhodes, Ben Spencer, Tom Whiteley, Ali Crossdale
