It’s a real struggle to silence big Billy
2 years between Billy Vunipola and his older brother Mako, a team-mate at Saracens
PRESS conferences are notoriously dull affairs, particularly on the rugby beat across the water — so much so that England’s training base in Surrey was, at one time, christened ‘Pennyhell Park’. It can be hard going.
Day in, day out, players are made sit in ‘huddles’ as a throng of reporters fire questions at them in a bid to harvest some interesting quotes. They’re well trained at Pennyhill Park. Rarely does anyone say anything of merit. That’s just the way it is.
That’s until Billy Vunipola walks out. There is always excitement in the press room when word filters through that Vunipola is up for media duties.
For one thing, he is one of the undisputed stars of English rugby. Saracens and the national team are a totally different proposition when he plays. It’s an indisputable fact.
England were supremely confident when they arrived in Dublin for their Six Nations opener against Ireland back in early February. A big factor was Vunipola’s presence at No8. When he’s fit and firing, he is very much in that ‘world class’ bracket.
His profile and standing in the game demands plenty of column inches, but he also has plenty to say. Relaxed, candid and outspoken, Vunipola is always great value when the dictaphones are switched on.
Having fractured his arm three times in the space of a year, the affable 26-year-old revealed that the Saracens medical team had discovered he was suffering with a Vitamin D deficiency. More calcium and sunlight were prescribed for the giant 20-stone backrower.
‘I have started drinking a lot more milk,’ he explained at the time. ‘Mostly because I don’t want it to go off! Cheese as well but I can’t eat too much cheese — Camembert is my favourite.’
He can be serious as well. When Premiership chiefs were pressing for the domestic season to be extended to 10 months last season, Vunipola was one of the most outspoken critics of the plan, stating the league’s players were not afraid to strike if their concerns were not heard. He is regularly stealing the headlines, whether it’s down to his performance on the pitch or his forthright opinions. He was back in the news last week when he decided to weigh in on the Israel Folau saga. The Wallabies full-back has faced a fierce backlash over his controversial beliefs. Things came to a head when Folau, a devout Christian, posted an inflammatory message on his Instagram page stating that ‘hell awaits’ homosexuals. That appeared to be the last straw for Rugby Australia, who announced their intention to terminate Folau’s contract. It later transpired that reining in his preaching on social media was a term of his new, lucrative contract extension.
Vunipola became embroiled in the fiasco when he ‘liked’ the post before taking to his own account to defend Folau’s beliefs.
‘Man was made for woman to procreate,’ was the quote that stuck out.
The RFU and Saracens sat down with Vunipola this week. He was given a ‘formal warning’ by his employers and is now set to start against Munster in Saturday’s European semi-final clash at the Ricoh Arena.
Vunipola was booed by Bristol fans when he came off the bench in a Premiership game last weekend and his head coach at Saracens, Mark McCall, has said he expects him to get the same treatment in Coventry this weekend.
It has not been the ideal preparation for Vunipola or the club heading into the biggest game of their season.
So what prompted him to add fuel to the Folau fire last week? Looking back on Vunipola’s upbringing offers an explanation. Born in Sydney to Tongan parents, Vunipola can trace his roots back to the small village of Longolongo. His father, Fe’ao, who had represented Tonga at Test level, wanted to give his family a better life. When an offer came up to play rugby with Pontypool, Fe’ao whisked his family off to Wales.
There, Billy, his brother Mako, and their cousin, Taulupe Faletau, fell in love with rugby and turned out for New Panteg RFC. After one game for the U11s, Fe’ao was not happy with how Billy and Mako, future England internationals, had applied themselves and made them run home.
Saturdays were about rugby, Sundays were about church. His mother, Singa, is a methodist minister, the first Tongan to ever be ordained in the UK.
Vunipola once said his life revolves around ‘faith, family and rugby’. Before mealtimes in the family home, the kids would take turns to read a bible verse and explain what it meant to them.
Those ideals have helped shape him into the top-class player he is today, but they have also created problems for him in society.
However, you can be sure that if the tough questions come, Vunipola will not shy away.