I’ve spent time with Billy Vunipola – the England rugby star who police Tasered and arrested on a teetotal streak-ending boozy night in Majorca. This is what he’s REALLY like, writes CHRIS FOY

Billy Vunipola is not a controversial character, but he has once again found himself embroiled in unseemly drama that threatens to tarnish his end-of-season retirement from Saracens.

The 31-year-old number 8 will leave the club in the summer to join Montpellier if they still want him – and for now there is nothing to suggest that won’t be the case. But what happened in Mallorca has the potential to spoil the big farewell at a club he has served with distinction for more than a decade, collecting medals and titles along the way.

There was an atmosphere of shock and palpable sadness as news broke of his clash with police and security staff at a Palma bar. This is a popular player, but one who has occasionally undermined his own reputation with erratic behavior.

The latest episode came after a long period of abstinence, in an attempt to rediscover his top form. That joint effort did not survive a club visit to the Balearic Islands and now Vunipola must wait to discover the extent of the consequences.

He may not play for the Premier League champions anymore. It would be a huge shame if he drifted away, having been irreparably marginalized by something like that.

There have been mistakes before. In 2019, he and Ben Te’o apologized to England teammates for drinking later than the rest of the squad after a 38-38 draw with Scotland. The same year saw homophobia – after he spoke out in support of Israel Folau, following discriminatory comments from the Australian fullback. That summer, Vunipola clashed with Steve Borthwick, then coach of the England forwards, leading to an apology last year.

“I was very advanced then,” Billy said. ‘I had a chat with Steve about rugby after training when we were in Treviso. I said a few things that were inconsistent. I said some things that should never have been said that way to Steve, but also in front of other people. He should never have been in that situation where I made him feel like I was being condescending to him. Especially as an elder, not just the coach, but someone older than me. It was very disrespectful.’

Rewind further and Vunipola was accused of having an attitude problem when he joined the England squad in New Zealand in 2014. He later expressed regret for his behavior at that time.

But he is not a stubborn person. He is by nature a giant of genius, someone who regularly labels himself arrogant when he doesn’t come across that way. Far from it. Overall he is incredibly polite and respectful. He speaks quietly and often appears shy and respectful towards older brother Mako, his parents and authority figures in general. His mother, Singa, is a Methodist minister and instilled good values ​​in young Billy.

So the idea that he would confront the police with aggression is difficult to imagine, having spent some time in his neighborhood. He is always endlessly honest and self-critical. There has been a career-long cycle of introspection and regret, followed by periods of intense dedication and focus.

Alcohol is sometimes an outlet, but not often. One source spoke of him succumbing to ‘demons’ after being a teetotaler since August 2022. He fell off the wagon hard and suffered reputational damage before responding with a quick apology.

Sober, he will be consumed by guilt and shame, as the shirtless, smiling man surrounded by police and security guards in the CCTV footage from the bar in Mallorca is by no means the recognizable version of the younger Vunipola brother, who always used his formidable physique has handled without malice.

So where does this leave him? That will become clear over the next 24 to 48 hours as Saracens consider their response to the ugly episode during a trip designed to boost morale in the ranks rather than leave them with a problem. In the past, such partnerships have served them well in forging a greater collective spirit, but this has thrown a wrench into the early hours story.

Despite reviving his international career during the 2022 tour of Australia, Vunipola had completely disappeared from England’s radar after a World Cup when he was a bit player and his clubmate Ben Earl became the No.8 par excellence. The move to Montpellier was a reflection of the fact that all hopes of further Test honors had disappeared, making the greater wealth that France had to offer difficult to ignore.

Last Friday big Billy was kept in reserve as Tom Willis played for him for Saracens at Bath – in another sign of the times. In recent years, club and country built their attacking play around his gainline-breaking carries, but that influence had faded at Test level and he had also gradually become less of a powerful force in the domestic game.

Early indications are that he will not face severe punishment from his current employers, but that is subject to the completion of an internal investigation, which will intensify on Tuesday after the traveling group returns from Palma on a Monday afternoon flight.

As for his potential future employers, Montpellier is believed to be taking stock of how the saga is playing out before deciding on their own course of action. At this stage there is no indication that the contract offer to Vunipola will be canceled but only time will tell. The French club has become accustomed to outside condemnation; from certain players, coaches and even their owner, so they have a stubborn, defiant streak in these situations.

Those who know Billy will hope that he can show remorse for the trouble he has caused – especially for the minor injury sustained by a police officer who was tasked with restraining him in his drunken state – and that he will give the benefit of the doubt to get; by Montpellier and by the wider rugby community. A good man fell off the wagon and was thrown off the rails.

In theory his career is in jeopardy, but that would be a high price to pay.