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Billy Vunipola Finds New Energy in Montpellier After Saracens Departure
Billy Vunipola, the formidable number eight for Montpellier, believes he is in "superior condition" compared to his performance levels during his last few seasons with Saracens and the England national team. Now 31 years old, Vunipola made the switch to the French Top 14 team this summer after an impressive eleven-year tenure at Saracens. His transition means he will no longer add to his tally of 75 international appearances, as players based outside of England are not eligible for selection according to Rugby Football Union regulations.
Speaking with Rugbyrama about his current state, Vunipola remarked, "I genuinely feel I am in better shape than I have been over the last two or three years." This change is a personal development rather than a critique of Saracens; he takes accountability for his previous challenges. "Upon arriving here and experiencing this new environment, I realized I had to adapt quickly. The challenges I've encountered have been enjoyable."
Having made his international debut back in 2013 against Argentina, Vunipola's most recent appearance came from the bench during England's World Cup semi-final loss against South Africa last year. Throughout much of his career—both at club and country level—he played alongside his brother Mako Vunipola. Competing against Mako’s new club on Saturday in a close match that ended 26-24 was described by Billy as a “strange” experience.
Reflecting on their relationship despite playing far apart now, Billy noted: "Living away from each other has surprisingly drawn us closer together since we aren’t always present.” He added that these shared moments are cherished even more now compared to when they routinely shared pitches together for over a decade. “It was wonderful seeing him again but facing him was quite challenging,” he confessed and humorously remarked on avoiding direct confrontations during gameplay: “While I wouldn’t say I specifically sought to evade him completely; let’s just say my intention wasn’t always towards aggressive play.”
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