June 17, 2018 / 5:57 AM / Updated an hour ago

Rugby - England's Vunipola and Genge leave tour of South Africa

BLOEMFONTEIN (Reuters) - Props Mako Vunipola and Ellis Genge have left England’s tour of South Africa with Exeter Chiefs’ Alec Hepburn called up as a replacement, officials said on Sunday.

FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Premiership Final - Exeter Chiefs vs Saracens - Twickenham Stadium, London, Britain - May 26, 2018 Saracens' Mako Vunipola in action with Exeter Chiefs' Joe Simmonds Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

Vunipola is heading back to England for family reasons by prior arrangement with team management, while Genge sustained a knee injury in training during the week.

Hepburn, 25, has two previous caps, both from this year’s Six Nations, with the last against Wales at Twickenham on Feb. 10.

FILE PHOTO: Britain Rugby Union - Leicester Tigers v Newcastle Falcons - Aviva Premiership - Welford Road - 15/4/17 Leicester's Ellis Genge in action with Newcastle's Rob Vickers Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Alan Walter Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY.

He will link up with the squad at their training base outside Durban ahead of the third and final test against the Springboks in Cape Town on Saturday.

The Boks have already secured the series with an unassailable 2-0 lead, but could inflict a sixth test defeat in a row on Eddie Jones’ ailing England.

England have not lost six tests in a row since they went on a seven-match losing streak in 2006, though they made the World Cup final the following year, losing to South Africa in the decider.

Reporting By Nick Said; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty

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