FORMER Thornbury aces Billy and Mako Vunipola have survived the cull from England’s failed Rugby World Cup squad last year and made it into new national coach Eddie Jones’ 33-man squad for next month’s RBS 6 Nations Championships.

Indeed, Billy Vunipola is set to become Jones’ first choice number eight after both Dursley’s Ben Morgan, who was man of the series in the 2014 Autumn Tests, and Harlequins veteran Nick Easter were dropped for the tournament.

Morgan is among a number of big-name casualties although Jones, who took over from ousted Stuart Lancaster after the World Cup, has said the door is ‘always open’ for those who have missed out.

But Thornbury RFC head coach Rob Higgitt believes that, despite the cull on experienced players, which also sees Tom Youngs, Tom Wood, Geoff Parling, Rob Webber, Brad Barritt, Nick Easter, David Wilson and Richard Wigglesworth joining Morgan out in the cold, they have enough to make a good fist of the Six Nations.

Higgitt said: “I think England can win the Six Nations without too much of an issue. Eddie Jones will do what Stuart Lancaster did not do which was to make the tough calls (on selection) early instead of chopping and changing his squad as he goes along.”

The Vunipola brothers, who attended Castle School and played for Thornbury RFC as teenagers, were prominent in the Rugby World Cup last Autumn although Billy left the tournament in the 28-25 defeat to Wales with a knee injury.

And the Thornbury boss believes the Vunipola brothers are just what Jones needs. “I think Billy is an outstanding player and it’s the same with Mako. They are good ball carriers and the way the international game is now, they are good modern players.”

Jones said of the axed players: “They know what they need to do to get back into this squad. The door is not shut for anyone. There is no such thing as a shut door because of injuries and loss of form. There will always be opportunities to anyone playing consistently well in the Premiership and Europe.”