Billy Vunipola facts for kids

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Billy Vunipola

Vunipola representing Saracens during the Aviva Premiership

Full name

Viliami Vunipola

Date of birth

3 November 1992 (age 32)

Place of birth

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Height

1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)

Weight

126 kg (278 lb; 19 st 12 lb)

School

The Castle School
Harrow School

Notable relative(s)

Feʻao Vunipola (father)
Mako Vunipola (brother)
Elisi Vunipola (uncle)
Manu Vunipola (uncle)
Manu Vunipola (cousin)

Rugby union career

Senior career
Position(s)	Number 8
Current team	Montpellier
Years	Team	Apps	(Points)
2011–2013	Wasps	41	(20)
2013–2024	Saracens	178	(145)
2024–	Montpellier	0	(0)
Correct as of 28 August 2023
National team(s)
Years	Team	Apps	(Points)
2012	England U20	4	(5)
2013–	England	75	(45)
Correct as of 28 August 2023

Viliami Vunipola (born November 3, 1992) is a professional rugby union player. He is known for playing as a number eight. Billy, as he is often called, currently plays for Montpellier in the Top 14 league. Although he was born in Australia, he plays for the England at an international level. He qualified to play for England because he lived there for a certain amount of time.

Billy Vunipola's Early Life
Billy Vunipola's Club Career
Billy Vunipola's International Career
- Playing for England
- British & Irish Lions
Billy Vunipola's Family Life
Career Statistics
- List of International Tries
Honours and Achievements
- Individual Awards
Images for kids
See also

Billy Vunipola's Early Life

Billy Vunipola was born in Sydney, Australia. His parents are from Tonga. When he was a young child, his family moved to Wales. This happened after his father, Feʻao Vunipola, joined the Pontypool RFC rugby team in 1998.

Billy went to Porth Infants School and Griffithstown Junior School in Wales. He played rugby for a local team called New Panteg RFC. Later, he moved to Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England. There, he attended The Castle School and played junior rugby for Thornbury RFC. He then received a special scholarship to study at Harrow School.

Billy Vunipola's Club Career

Playing for Wasps

While Billy was studying at Harrow School, he joined the Wasps Academy. This is a special training program for young rugby players. He made his first appearance for the senior Wasps team in the 2011–12 season. He played 30 matches for them over two seasons before moving to a new club in 2013.

Time with Saracens

In January 2013, Billy Vunipola signed a contract to join Saracens. He started playing for them at the end of the 2012–13 season. His time at Saracens was very successful.

He helped Saracens win the Premiership title four times. These wins were in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019. Billy played in all four of these important final matches. He even scored a try in the 2018 final against Exeter Chiefs.

Billy also helped Saracens win the European Rugby Champions Cup three times. They won in 2016 by beating Racing 92. The next year, they won again by defeating ASM Clermont Auvergne. In the 2019 final, Billy scored another try. This helped Saracens win against Leinster.

After Saracens had some issues with salary rules, they were moved down from the Premiership. However, Billy helped them get back to the top league quickly. He scored two tries in the 2021 play-off final. This helped them beat Ealing Trailfinders and return to the Premiership.

Moving to Montpellier

On March 22, 2024, Billy Vunipola announced he would be leaving Saracens. He had played for the club for 11 seasons. His brother, Mako Vunipola, also left at the same time. Billy signed a contract to play for Montpellier. He will start playing for this French team in the Top 14 competition from the 2024-25 season.

Billy Vunipola's International Career

Playing for England

In 2010, Billy Vunipola was the vice-captain for the England under-18 team. They went on a tour to South Africa. He was also part of the England under-20 team in 2012. In January 2013, he was called up to the England Saxons team. He also trained with the main England team during the 2013 Six Nations Championship.

Billy was chosen for England's 2013 tour of South America. On June 8, 2013, he played his first senior game for England. It was against Argentina in Salta. He came on as a substitute and scored a try, helping England win 32–3. Earlier on that trip, he scored three tries in just six minutes during a game against a team called Consur XV.

During the 2015 Six Nations Championship, Billy scored tries against Italy and France. England finished as runners-up in that tournament. He was also chosen for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. He scored a try in England's first match against Fiji. However, a knee injury during a game against Wales meant he could not play for the rest of the World Cup.

In January 2016, the new head coach, Eddie Jones, picked Billy for the 2016 Six Nations Championship. Billy started in all the games during this tournament. England achieved their first Grand Slam (winning all their games) in over ten years. Later that year, he scored a try in Australia. This helped England win all their matches on that tour.

The next year, Billy scored a try against Scotland in the 2017 Six Nations Championship. He then started in the last match against Ireland. England lost this game, which stopped them from winning two Grand Slams in a row. It also ended their record of eighteen straight wins.

Billy was selected for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. He scored a try in a warm-up match against Wales. He then scored another try in a group game against the United States. He played his 50th game for England in the semi-final win against New Zealand. He then started in the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final where England lost to South Africa.

After the World Cup, Billy was part of the team that won the 2020 Six Nations Championship. Later that year, he played for England in the Autumn Nations Cup final. England beat France in extra time to win the cup.

British & Irish Lions

In April 2017, Billy Vunipola was chosen to be part of the British & Irish Lions team. This team tours New Zealand in the summer. His brother, Mako Vunipola, was also selected. However, Billy had to leave the squad on May 21, 2017, because of a shoulder injury. Another player, James Haskell, took his place. Billy was not chosen for the 2021 Lions tour to South Africa.

Billy Vunipola's Family Life

Billy Vunipola comes from a family of rugby players. His father, Fe'ao Vunipola, used to be the captain of the Tonga national team. His mother, Iesinga Vunipola, is a Methodist minister.

Billy has two uncles, Manu and 'Elisi Vunipola, who also played international rugby for Tonga in the 1990s. His brother, Mako Vunipola, plays rugby with him. They have been teammates at Saracens and for the England national team.

Career Statistics

List of International Tries

Billy Vunipola has scored several tries for England in international matches. A try is worth five points in rugby. Here is a list of some of his tries:

Try	Opposing team	Location	Venue	Competition	Date	Result	Score
1	Argentina	Salta, Argentina	Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena	2013 Tour of Argentina	8 June 2013	Win	32 – 3
2	Italy	London, England	Twickenham Stadium	2015 Six Nations	14 February 2015	Win	47 – 17
3	France	London, England	Twickenham Stadium	2015 Six Nations	25 March 2015	Win	55 – 35
4	Fiji	London, England	Twickenham Stadium	2015 Rugby World Cup	18 September 2015	Win	35 – 11
5	Australia	Sydney, Australia	Sydney Football Stadium	2016 Tour of Australia	25 June 2016	Win	44 – 40
6	Scotland	London, England	Twickenham Stadium	2017 Six Nations	11 March 2017	Win	61 – 21
7	Wales	London, England	Twickenham Stadium	2019 Rugby World Cup warm-up match	11 August 2019	Win	33 – 19
8	United States	Kobe, Japan	Kobe Misaki Stadium	2019 Rugby World Cup	26 September 2019	Win	45 – 7
9	Australia	Brisbane, Australia	Suncorp Stadium	2022 England tour of Australia	9 July 2022	Win	17 – 25