Vunipola is facing ban for backing Folau rant
BILLY VUNIPOLA faces a ban after posting a controversial message in support of homophobic Australian Israel Folau. The England star will be hauled in front of RFU bosses early next week after he wrote on Instagram that ‘man was made for woman to procreate’. Equality campaigners, Twickenham chiefs, his club Saracens and other key stakeholders all condemned the international star’s views. Channel 4 also announced they will not use Vunipola again to promote their coverage of the Heineken Champions Cup. ‘These views are incompatible with our values,’ said a spokesperson. Australian full back Folau faces the sack for claiming on his social media accounts that ‘hell awaits’ for ‘drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists, idolators.’ Yesterday morning Vunipola refused to ‘unlike’ Folau’s post and added: ‘I don’t HATE anyone, neither do I think I’m perfect. What he’s saying isn’t that he doesn’t like or love those people.’
BILLY VUNIPOLA was axed by Channel 4 last night in light of his deeply controversial social media comments supporting homophobic Australian Israel Folau.
The England No 8, will be hauled in front of RFU bosses early next week and faces a ban after he wrote that ‘ man was made for woman to procreate’ on Instagram.
Equality campaigners, Twickenham chiefs, his club Saracens, the Rugby Players’ Association and Premiership Rugby all condemned the back- rower’s views but Channel 4 acted swiftest by dumping him from their station.
Vunipola, 26, is one of the TV channel’s star names, promoting coverage of the Heineken Champions Cup with behind-the-scenes videos throughout the season. But
Sportsmail can reveal Channel 4 have decided not to use him again.
A spokesperson said: ‘ These views are incompatible with our values as an inclusive broadcaster and in light of this Billy Vunipola won’t be used as a contributor in Channel 4’s rugby coverage.’
Wallabies full back Folau was widely slammed, and his contract with Australia Rugby and New South Wales Waratahs is set to be terminated, for claiming on his social media accounts that ‘ hell awaits’ for ‘drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists, idolators’. And yesterday morning Vunipola posted about his Christian faith.
The message, which was still up on Instagram last night, had been ‘ liked’ more than 5,000 times including by Saracens team-mates Sean Maitland, Michael Rhodes and Test stars Manu Tuilagi, Ellis Genge and Faf de Klerk.
It read: ‘ So this morning I got 3 phone calls from people telling me to “unlike” the @izzyfolau post. This is my position on it. I don’t HATE anyone neither do I think I’m perfect.
‘There comes a point when you insult what I grew up believing in that you just say enough is enough, what he’s saying isn’t that he doesn’t like or love those people.
‘He’s saying how we live our lives needs to be closer to how God intended them to be. Man was made for woman to procreate, that was the goal, no? I’m not perfect I’m at least everything on that list at least at one point in my life. It hurts to know that. But that’s why I believe there’s a God. To guide and protect us and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.’
Vunipola, whose mother is a Methodist minister, was then condemned — with all the main institutions in rugby weighing in.
Vunipola’s club, Saracens, said: ‘As representatives and role models, Saracens players have a responsibility not only to themselves but to the club and wider society. Billy Vunipola’s recent social media posts are inconsistent with this and we take this matter very seriously. It will be handled internally.’
The RFU, who supported the Rainbow Laces campaign in their autumn international match against Australia in November, said: ‘Rugby is an inclusive sport, and we do not support these views. We will be meeting with Billy to discuss his social media posts.’
Premiership Rugby added: ‘Inclusivity is one of the core values of Premiership Rugby and we condemn any behaviour that encourages discrimination.’
And Stonewall — who campaign for the equality of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and trans people across Britain — were vociferous too.
‘Faith is often used to justify anti-LGBT views and attitudes,’ read their statement.
‘This is wrong and perpetuates a myth that faith and LGBT inclusion cannot co-exist.’
England could well ban Vunipola from matches. Under World Rugby’s code of conduct, Regulation 20 states that players should not make ‘acts or statements that are, or conduct that is, discriminatory by reason of religion, race, sex, sexual orientation, disability, colour or national or ethnic origin.’
It is understood the game’s governing body will hold their counsel for now, and let the RFU deal with the matter first.
In 2016 World Rugby intervened when the Six Nations did not punish Joe Marler after he called Wales prop Samson Lee a ‘gypsy-boy’ in a Test match. Marler was banned for two matches and fined £20,000.
Former England captain Will Carling added his views on Vunipola.
‘However naive this might be — I believe that Billy just thought he was supporting a mate — a Christian — his ‘ I don’t hate anyone’ sums him up — I think he has just been naive and simplistic,’ he said on Twitter.