News about Billy Vunipola

DAN BIGGAR: England should always be one of the leading nations in world rugby with the depth of talent they can choose from and the financial backing they have from the RFU. But since 2019, they haven't produced the performances they've been capable of, certainly in the Six Nations where they have had below-par finishes. However, 2024 has been a breakthrough year for Steve Borthwick's men. England now have a young, vibrant and attacking team that is playing an attractive brand of running rugby.

The 25-year-old flanker has not played since the World Cup last autumn, having had major hip surgery. He was initially expected to miss the domestic season, before a rapid recovery raised his and his club's hopes that he could be cleared for a comeback in north London, in a repeat of last year's league final, which Sale have to win to be sure of a top-four finish.

ALEX BYWATER: Exeter tyro Greg Fisilau has been tipped for a summer call from England head coach Steve Borthwick after he kept the Chiefs' Premiership play-off dream alive. No 8 Fisilau, still just 20, produced an outstanding individual display in his team's 58-26 hammering of Harlequins which moved them up to fifth. If Rob Baxter's side beat Leicester with a bonus point on Saturday's final day of the regular season, they will be in a good position to finish in the top four and make a league semi-final.

NIK SIMON AT ASHTON GATE: If Saracens do go on to win the Premiership this season, perhaps they will hang one of their medals off the fish tank at their clubhouse in St Albans. The team's two goldfish were key figures in this victory - featuring heavily in their 'goldfish memory' narrative borrowed from Ted Lasso. They watched clips from the uplifting drama about a struggling American soccer coach in the build-up and vowed to move on from events of the past few weeks. Forget the victory over Bath, forget about Billy Vunipola getting tasered on a social in Mallorca and focus on making the play-offs. And so they did, beating Bristol to move into second. Just like Manchester City, Saracens have a knack of winning games towards the end of the season. Just like Pep Guardiola, Mark McCall finds a way to bring the best out of their players when it matters.

ALEX BYWATER: Billy Vunipola has been issued with a formal warning but not banned or fined by the Rugby Football Union after being tasered and arrested in Majorca. The Saracens and England No 8 assaulted an officer while on a club bonding trip in the Balearics last month but wasn't punished by his club. Vunipola faced an 'express' trial in court where he was fined €240 (£205) and handed a suspended four-month prison sentence.

CHRIS FOY: The Premiership champions are preparing for a return to league action at Bristol on Saturday, after a weekend in the Balearics for players and staff came under scrutiny as their giant No 8 was fined €240 and handed a suspended four-month prison sentence. Vunipola expressed his remorse in an exclusive interview with Mail Sport and his club remain convinced about the benefit of the trips which have helped to foster their collective spirit over years of title-winning success.

CHRIS FOY - WORLD OF RUGBY: When there is sufficient restraint, these bonding outings and trips still have their place. Rugby is not all about science, it is about heart and soul too. Building tight connections is vital. It doesn't have to involve alcohol, but that has been the standard model. One tale that sticks in the memory is the aftermath of an Argentina win against Wales in Cardiff. As the chastened home players trudged off dutifully for ice baths, the victorious Pumas got stuck into a crate of cider in their changing-room. Having a release valve amid so much commitment to a tough profession is still acceptable. Unwind, lose inhibitions, sing together and reinforce collective spirit. Sharing a post-match beer with an opposite number isn't the worst rugby ritual either.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY CHRIS FOY: Vunipola has spoken exclusively to Mail Sport about the incident in the Balearics , during a club social trip last weekend, expressing his deep sense of remorse and regret. There is a serious, over-riding message about losing control on a night out and being left embarrassed, apologetic and upset - but also a self-deprecating theory about why the first taser didn't have the intended effect.

ALEX BYWATER: Maro Itoje (left) has been cleared by a disciplinary panel for a dangerous tackle on Bath's Alfie Barbeary during last week's Gallagher Premiership victory. The decorated second row is available for Saracens' final two games of the regular Premiership season with Bristol and Sale and a likely play-off semi-final. As one of Saracens' most important figures, Itoje's avoidance of a suspension can only be considered a huge boost for Mark McCall's side as they look to defend the Premiership title they won in 2023.

ALEX BYWATER: Saracens' leading figures have discussed the events which led to Vunipola (pictured), 31, being Tasered twice in a bar in Palma in the early hours of Sunday. A drunk, shirtless Vunipola was restrained and taken to hospital where he had to be strapped to a bed. They are now ready to move on from the controversy surrounding his arrest and focus on the Premiership title, with two games remaining this season.

Billy Vunipola is set to return to training at Saracens today, as the club prepare to hold meetings to decide whether their veteran No 8 should face any action for his arrest and court appearance in Majorca. The 31-year-old was off duty and at home in Hertfordshire yesterday, as he and his team-mates had an additional day off following their trip to the Balearics - as there is no fixture this weekend.  Saracens are due to reconvene at their base outside St Albans on Wednesday morning to begin their build-up to a crucial Premiership showdown with Bristol at Ashton Gate on May 11.

Billy Vunipola (left), who has 75 caps for his country, has been arrested after a violent incident at a pub in Majorca, with the 31-year-old having to be tasered twice after police rushed to a bar called Epic in the island capital Palma at 4.30am on Sunday morning following calls from security staff. The 6ft 2in tall professional, who weighs nearly 20 stone and plays for Saracens in the Premiership, reportedly challenged the officers and flexed his muscles and has been bailed with pending an ongoing investigation.

Vunipola's (left) career was plunged into doubt on Monday as he flew home from a Saracens trip to Europe after being Tasered by police for resisting arrest and assaulting an officer. The 31-year-old England No 8 arrived at Stansted Airport with team-mates amid a club investigation into the events which led to him being tasered twice in a bar in Palma in the early hours of Sunday. A drunk, shirtless Vunipola was restrained and taken to hospital, where he had to be strapped to a bed.

In footage obtained by MailOnline, the hulking 6ft2, 20-stone man-mountain is seen being surrounded by nine officers. The bare-chested 31-year-old swipes out at one with his T-shirt in his hand and then walks menacingly towards him. He is stopped by another officer who pulls him back to the bar while a colleague takes aim with a taser, which seemingly has no effect. Vunipola glares over at the policeman who still has the taser trained on him but starts laughing out loud. As he tries to put his shirt back on, he is hit by second dart, which this time incapacitates him and sends him stumbling forward. The officers then pounce on him on mass and bundle him onto the floor, where they cuff his hands

CHRIS FOY: Billy Vunipola's career was plunged into doubt on Monday as he flew home from a Saracens trip to Majorca after being tasered by police for resisting arrest and assaulting an officer. The 31-year-old England No 8 arrived at Stansted Airport with team-mates amid a club investigation into the events which led to him being tasered twice in a bar in Palma in the early hours of Sunday. A drunk, shirtless Vunipola was restrained and taken to hospital, where he had to be strapped to a bed. He went on to face an 'express' trial in court, where he was fined €240 (£205) and handed a suspended four-month prison sentence.

CHRIS FOY: Billy Vunipola is not a controversial character, but he has once again stumbled into an unseemly drama, which threatens to tarnish his end-of-season send-off at Saracens. The 31-year-old No 8 will be leaving the club in the summer, to join Montpellier, if they will still have him - and for now there is nothing to suggest they won't. But what happened in Majorca has the potential to spoil the great farewell at a club he has served with distinction for more than a decade, stockpiling medals and titles along the way.

Vunipolawas seen with his hands in his pockets as he walked through Stansted Airport this afternoon before being greeted by fellow England and Saracens stars Maro Itoje and Elliot Daly. The group then left together. The 31-year-old is understood to have been in a self-imposed teetotal phase since August, 2022, to fully commit to regaining peak form on the field. He had chosen to abstain after returning from the national team's tour of Australia that summer, when he had managed to force his way back into the Red Rose line-up and contribute to a 2-1 series victory over the Wallabies .

The 31-year-old (pictured) was snapped laughing as the after the first taser attempt failed, with police rushing to a bar called Epic in the island capital Palma at 4.30am on Sunday morning following calls from security staff. Local reports said the sportsman, who was born in Australia to Tongan parents and moved to the UK with his family as a young child, had taken off his shirt and was threatening customers and employees with bottles and chairs, though he has now denied issuing any threats.

Mako and Billy Vunipola are the fourth generation of their family to play rugby at an international level - but they come from humble origins and were born to two preachers from a Tongan village. Their father Fe'ao, grandfather Sione and great-grandfather Viliami all played for Tonga, but the brothers opted to play for England instead. The Vunipola family came to Britain in January 1998 and first lived in Pontypool in Wales, when the brothers were ages just six and eight.  Big brother Mako, 33, has kept a fraternal eye over Billy, in school and on the rugby field. But it was reported this morning that the 31-year-old sportsman has been arrested after a violent incident at a pub in Majorca during which he slapped a police officer.

England No 8 Vunipola was tasered twice after an incident at a nightclub in Majorca in the early hours of Sunday morning and subsequently fined 240 euros (£205). The police investigation has now been closed despite his arrest for resisting the law but his club, Saracens, have confirmed they will deal with the matter internally. Vunipola, 31, was caught on camera laughing as the first taser attempt failed - after police rushed to a bar in the island capital Palma following calls from security staff. Local reports said that the sportsman, who was born in Australia to Tongan parents and moved to the UK as a young child, had taken off his shirt. He was also accused of threatening customers and employees but has denied issuing any threats.

Billy Vunipola had been off alcohol for nearly two years before falling off the wagon in Majorca, which led to his drunken encounter with local police, arrest and four-month suspended prison sentence after appearing in court. The 31-year-old England No 8 is understood to have been in a self-imposed teetotal phase since August, 2022, to fully commit to regaining peak form on the field. He had chosen to abstain after returning from the national team's tour of Australia that summer, when he had managed to force his way back into the Red Rose line-up and contribute to a 2-1 series victory over the Wallabies. For the last 20 months, the younger of Saracens' two Vunipola brothers had banished the booze as he strove to re-establish career momentum. But having dropped off the England radar and become more of a peripheral figure at the club where he was once such a talismanic presence, big Billy's no-alcohol policy ended in Majorca, with damaging consequences.

Witnesses told today how the 6ft 2in 20-stone giant appeared unfazed by the first stun gun shot, although police admitted today it hadn't discharged and the player was only knocked to the ground when police fired at him a second time. Vunipola, 31, was arrested and taken to hospital by ambulance with a police guard following the drama in the early hours of Sunday morning at Epic bar in the island capital Palma. He was later hauled in front of a judge for questioning before being released on conditional bail pending an ongoing probe. His whereabouts this morning was unclear.

England rugby international Billy Vunipola has been arrested after a violent incident at a pub in Majorca. The 31-year-old had to be tasered twice after police rushed to a bar called Epic in the island capital Palma at 4.30am following calls from security staff. Local reports said the sportsman, who was born in Australia to Tongan parents and moved to the UK with his family as a young child, had taken off his shirt and was threatening customers and employees with bottles and chairs. The 6ft 2in tall professional, who weighs nearly 20 stone, is said to have been unaffected by the first taser volt police used on him after clearing the bar so they could try to resolve the situation. They overpowered him and handcuffed him after using a taser for the second time after Vunipola had reportedly challenged the officers and flexed his muscles.

Steve Diamond, Newcastle's rugby consultant, would 'definitely' welcome the Falcons as the first Gallagher Premiership club to receive Saudi Arabian funding. The city's Premier League football team Newcastle United is already 80% owned by a sovereign wealth fund from the cash-rich gulf state known as the Public Investment Fund (PIF). And there's a chance that Saudi Arabian funds will soon be available at Kingston Park, as Diamond continues to expand the Falcons' position both on and off the field.