RFU warning for Vunipola after arrest

Billy Vunipola has been given a formal warning by the Rugby Football Union after he was tasered and arrested in Majorca.

The 31-year-old was held overnight and fined by Spanish police for disobedience and assaulting an officer last month. CCTV footage showed a topless Vunipola laughing while surrounded by officers in a bar. He was also given a fourmonth suspended prison sentence.

The warning from the RFU will sit on Vunipola’s disciplinary record for five years and could be referred to during any future disciplinary hearings.

In a statement the RFU noted Vunipola’s “clear contrition” but added: “It has been made clear to Billy that, as a senior and respected player, such actions risk bringing the game as a whole into disrepute. In particular, such actions clearly go against the core values of rugby which collectively the sport works hard to promote.”

Saracens had addressed the incident this week, with director of rugby Mark Mccall stating that the matter was settled. “The only thing that I would add to what the club has said is that when someone does something wrong, the first reaction doesn’t always have to be to punish that person,” Mccall said. “Sometimes you’ve got to understand why what happened happened, to support and help. It doesn’t always have to be a punishment.”

Vunipola, the former England No8, received a formal warning from the RFU in 2019 for comments on social media during the fallout from Israel Folau’s dismissal by Rugby Australia.

He is in contention for Saracens’ game against Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate tomorrow.