My rugby hero: Billy Vunipola

David Skippers

Saracens Billy Vunipola celebrates with the trophy during the Champions Cup Final at St James' Park, Newcastle. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday May 11, 2019. See PA story RUGBYU European. Photo credit should read: David Davies/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Editorial use only. No commercial use.

With the Champions Cup taking an indefinite break, we dig through the archives to highlight a hero from a previous season. Today it’s Billy Vunipola.

Player background

Born in Sydney, Australia, on November 3, 1992, to Tongan parents, Viliami “Billy” Vunipola and his family moved to Wales after his father, Fe’ao Vunipola, signed to play for Pontypool RFC in 1998. The Vunipolas are part of a renowned Tongan rugby dynasty, with Billy and his brother Mako being first-choice players in the current England senior side while their father represented Tonga at the 1995 and 1999 Rugby World Cup tournaments. Six of Billy’s uncles and his grandfather also played for Tonga.

Vunipola was educated at Porth Infants School and Griffithstown Junior School in Wales and played his junior rugby for New Panteg RFC. He subsequently moved to The Castle School in Thornbury, England, where he continued his junior rugby with Thornbury RFC before being given a scholarship to attend Harrow School. During his time at Harrow, he joined the Wasps Academy and made his senior debut for the club as an 18-year-old during the 2011/12 season. He would eventually play 30 matches for Wasps over two seasons before joining his brother, Mako, at Premiership rivals Saracens in 2013.

He is a popular member of Saracens’ squad and was part of their Premiership-winning teams in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019. Vunipola has also impressed for the Allianz Park-based outfit during the Champions Cup and was in the starting line-up on each occasion when they were crowned champions in the final of Europe’s premier cup competition in 2016, 2017 and 2019. And although Sarries have been relegated to the Championship for salary cap breaches, the 27-year-old has committed his future to the club as they bid to make an immediate return to the Premiership.

On the international scene, the number eight represented the England U18, U20 and Saxons sides, before making his senior Test debut during his country’s tour of Argentina in June 2013. In the Test against Los Pumas in Salta, he came off the bench to score a try in England’s 32–3 triumph. He was part of the disastrous 2015 World Cup campaign on home soil but shone during the 2016 Six Nations and helped his country win the Grand Slam with man-of-the-match performances against Scotland, Ireland and France. He was also included in the British & Irish Lions squad for their three-Test series against New Zealand in 2017 but had to withdraw ahead of the tour due to a shoulder injury. Vunipola impressed for England during last year’s World Cup in Japan where they finished as runners-up to South Africa.

His rugby moment

Saracens faced Leinster in the 2019 Champions Cup final at St James’ Park in Newcastle where the Premiership side were under the cosh for most of the first half. After recovering from an early 10-0 deficit, they fought back to hold a slender 13-10 lead midway through the second half. Vunipola had been a handful to the Irish province’s defence throughout the game due to his powerful ball carrying and when Sarries were awarded a scrum deep inside in their opponents 22, the stage was set for him to leave his stamp on the match.

After a solid set-piece from Saracens, Vunipola gathered the ball from the base and set off towards the Irish province’s try-line. He still had plenty of work to do but despite being confronted by Rhys Ruddock, Johnny Sexton, James Lowe and Luke McGrath, he showed great determination and leg drive to power his way through the combined efforts of the aforementioned quartet before scoring what proved to be the match-winning try.

That score was a fitting reward for Vunipola, who was one of the best players on the field as he took the fight to the Leinstermen with a strong attacking performance. He finished the match with 63 metres gained after completing 16 carries which included two clean breaks, four defenders beaten as well as a couple of offloads. He also put his body on the line with a strong defensive effort, completing 18 tackles on the day in an impressive shift.

It was therefore a memorable moment both as an individual and being part of a special group of players for Vunipola, as he played a major role in helping Saracens to their third Champions Cup title courtesy of a deserved 20-10 triumph over the Irish giants, showing once again what a threat he is when on song.

by David Skippers