England in New Zealand 2014
Vunipola to miss England's tour of New Zealand
ESPN Staff
May 30, 2014
Mako Vunipola is out of England's tour © Getty Images
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England have suffered yet another setback with the news Mako Vunipola will miss their summer tour of New Zealand due to a knee injury.

Vunipola picked up the injury during the Heineken Cup final and will return later in the year at a date yet to be confirmed by Saracens. The club said he "has undergone surgery to repair a dislocation of the patella in his right knee".

With Vunipola sidelined, Richard Barrington is starting at loose-head for Saracens in Saturday's Aviva Premiership final but the injury has wider ramifications for England.

They are already without a host of frontline players for their tour opener against New Zealand on June 7 due to the close proximity of the Premiership final but a number of players are injured. With Alex Corbisiero given the summer off to recover from an injury-plagued season, Joe Marler is now England's first choice loose-head for the tour though he is struggling with a hip injury.

If Marler is not fit to play against the Kiwis on June 7 then Matt Mullan and Nathan Catt, who was a late call-up for the tour, will vie for the loose-head spot.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

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