BOWLED OVER BY HONEST BILLY
Rugby pays tribute to Vunipola’s ‘exceptional sportsmanship’ in coming clean over the try-that-wasn’t
BILLY VUNIPOLA has won the praise of English rugby chiefs for displaying “exceptional sportsmanship” in his first full game back from injury.
The England No.8 produced a manof-the-match display for Saracens against Harlequins which included 28 carries and the winning try.
But it was the try that got away which earned him plaudits yesterday – both from the opposition and the Rugby Football Union.
“Rugby prides itself on having strong values,” said David Barnes, head of discipline for the RFU.
“Billy Vunipola’s honesty during the match at the weekend showed exceptional sportsmanship.”
Vunipola dived over the top of a ruck and reached for the try line.
It looked for all the world a legitimate try and team-mates piled on him with their congratulations.
Yet rather than play along with it, knowing he had in fact knocked on, the 25-year-old came clean and admitted to it.
“I felt bad because I had dropped the ball,” he said. “I wasn’t trying to be a hero because they would have probably caught it on TV, I was just trying to save time. I’m a fan too and I don’t like it when players claim they have scored a try – and try and milk it when they know they haven’t.”
Vunipola’s action is a breath of fresh air in an era when too often footballers dive and cricketers don’t walk.
“Billy’s positive actions are an excellent example for the game to follow,” said Barnes. Quins head coach Mark Mapletoft agreed: “It was a great bit of sportsmanship.”
Episodes like this understandably split opinion within professional sport, between those whose jobs rest on results and those whose duty it is to set an example to the sport at large.
Not all at Saracens would have welcomed Vunipola’s mea culpa given the intensity of the contest against their arch rivals, just as there would have been West Ham fans cursing Paolo Di Canio at Everton in 2000.
The Italian striker famously received a cross from Trevor Sinclair but, spotting Toffees keeper Paul Gerrard lying injured in the penalty area, chose to catch the ball rather than plant it into the unguarded net.
“For me, a player has to be genuine at all times,” said Di Canio, whose gesture earned FIFA’s Fair Play Award.
“If, after one second, a player realised what he had done was dishonest, then he should tell the referee. It is not fair to take advantage.”