DAVID Parry-Jones says it is the curse of highly-trained athletes that they pick up knocks that cause their dreams to crash.
Parry-Jones watched as his former Thornbury RFC friend Billy Vunipola came off the Twickenham pitch against Wales last Saturday and saw his World Cup crash around him.
The ex-Castle School back row was ruled out of the Rugby World Cup with a knee injury on Monday.
England called up Nick Easter to their World Cup squad after Vunipola suffered a ligament strain in defeat by Wales and will be sidelined for six weeks.
National backs coach Andy Farrell said the camp are ‘devastated’ by the loss of their star back row.
Vunipola tweeted: “I’m gutted to say that my 2015 RWC journey has come to an abrupt end. Now time to give my all for @EnglandRugby from the stands.”
Back in Thornbury, former referee and Thornbury Rugby friend Parry-Jones said: “I think he was one hundred per cent committed (to the World Cup). 
“He has come on well since he was here (in Thornbury) as has his brother Maku (also playing for England). He does not like losing and he is quite a determined man but that is the thing about these highly trained players. They pick up injuries at the slightest knock they have.”
England head coach Stuart Lancaster sympathised with Vunipola, who was one of the better players in the defeat to Wales which leaves qualification for the World Cup quarter-finals on a knife-edge for the national team. “It’s so unfortunate for Billy but the scan shows an injury which means he can’t take any further part in the World Cup,” he said.
Easter could be promoted straight into the back row against Australia on Saturday although Dursley’s Ben Morgan is in contention to start the crucial clash with Australia at Twickenham after missing the Wales loss with a knee problem.
Easter, the 37-year-old number eight, has 52 Test caps and was involved in the 2007 and 2011 World Cups.
Lancaster added: “Billy worked really hard and committed everything to the last three months.
“He is a young man with a bright future ahead of him and I know he will be an integral part of this team for years to come.
“Nick was unlucky to miss out on final selection. He is a specialist number eight and an experienced player. We know he will make a big contribution.”
Easter just missed out on selection for the original 31-man squad and was superb against France in the second warm-up match.
Farrell acclaimed Easter as a quality replacement but added: “We’re all devastated for Billy. He has a four to six week injury on his knee. We all know what kind of player Billy is. He was excellent against Wales but unfortunately he got caught under a maul.”