Vunipola warned again by RFU over drunken arrest
BARNET, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 01: Billy Vunipola of Saracens charges upfield during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Saracens and Leicester Tigers at the StoneX Stadium on October 01, 2022 in Barnet, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Billy Vunipola has received a formal warning from the RFU for the second time in just over five years, on this occasion in relation to his drunken arrest in Majorca last month.
The Saracens number eight had to be tasered twice after he refused to leave ‘Epic’ bar in Palma during a club bonding trip in the early hours of 28 April.
He was warned by his club in the days following the incident last week, after being fined €240 (£205) and given a four-month suspended prison sentence by local authorities.
The 31-year-old had previously been warned by England’s governing body over support for an Instagram post by Israel Folau stating that “hell awaits” gay people in April 2019.
He was given a formal warning that, like this one, was to stay on his record for five years, but the warning had elapsed by the time he committed this latest offense.
“We have considered the apologies Billy has provided, his clear contrition and the circumstances around the incident and have concluded the most appropriate course of action is to issue a formal warning under RFU regulation 19.6.13,” a statement said.
“It has been made clear to Billy that as a senior and respected player, such actions risk bringing the game as a whole into disrepute.
“In particular, such actions clearly go against the core values of rugby which collectively the sport works hard to promote.”
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