Billy Vunipola


Billy Vunipola is a professional rugby union player who plays at number 8 for Saracens in the English Premiership and for the England national team. Born in Australia to Tongan parents, he qualified for England through residency. He made his England debut in 2013 and has since won 45 caps.

Early life

Vunipola was born in Sydney in Australia to Tongan parents, but moved to Wales with his family as a young child after his father Feʻao Vunipola signed for Pontypool RFC in 1998. He was educated at Porth Infants School and Griffithstown Junior School, playing for New Panteg RFC with Joe Lane. He subsequently moved to The Castle School in Thornbury, England where he played junior rugby for Thornbury RFC before being given a scholarship to attend Harrow School.

Club career

Wasps

While at Harrow School, he joined the Wasps Academy. He made his senior team debut in 2011–12 season and played 30 matches over two seasons before leaving at the end of the 2012–2013 season.

Saracens

Vunipola signed a contract in January 2013 to move to Saracens at the end of the 2012–13 Aviva Premiership.

International career

England

After representing England at U18 and U20 level, Vunipola was called up to the England Saxons Squad in January 2013. He trained with the England Squad during the 2013 Six Nations Championship and made his senior England debut during the England tour of Argentina in the test against Argentina in Salta in June 2013, coming off the bench to score a try in England's 32–3 win. Earlier in the tour he played in an uncapped match against a Consur XV, and scored a hat-trick of tries in six minutes.
England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster selected Vunipola in his squad for the Autumn Internationals.
Vunipola was named man of the match for the Scotland–England, England-Ireland and France-England matches in the 2016 Six Nations Championship.

British and Irish Lions

In April 2017, Vunipola was selected as the one of the 41 British and Irish Lions to tour New Zealand in the summer alongside his brother Mako Vunipola. However, due to an ongoing shoulder injury, he withdrew from the squad on 21 May 2017 and was replaced by England back-row teammate James Haskell.

International tries

TryOpposing teamLocationVenueCompetitionDateResultScore
1Salta, ArgentinaEstadio Padre Ernesto Martearena2013 Tour of Argentina08 06 2013Win32 – 3
2London, EnglandTwickenham Stadium2015 Six Nations14 02 2015Win47 – 17
3London, EnglandTwickenham Stadium2015 Six Nations25 03 2015Win55 – 35
4London, EnglandTwickenham Stadium2015 Rugby World Cup18 09 2015Win35 – 11
5Sydney, AustraliaSydney Football Stadium2016 Tour of Australia25 06 2016Win44 – 40
6London, EnglandTwickenham Stadium2017 Six Nations11 03 2017Win61 – 21
7London, EnglandTwickenham Stadium2019 Rugby World Cup warm-up match11 08 2019Win33 – 19
8Kobe, JapanKobe Misaki Stadium2019 Rugby World Cup26 09 2019Win45 – 7

Personal life

Vunipola's father is former Tonga captain Fe'ao Vunipola and his mother is a Methodist minister in High Wycombe, Rev. Iesinga Vunipola. He is the nephew of two other former international players, Manu and 'Elisi Vunipola who both represented Tonga in the 1990s. His brother, Mako Vunipola is his teammate and plays at prop for Saracens and England.