England rugby star Billy Vunipola’s club Saracens breaks silence after he was tasered in Majorca bar scrap
BILLY Vunipola’s fate has been revealed after his club side Saracens broke their silence on the rugby ace being tasered in Majorca.
Saracens Rugby Club released a statement declaring Vunipola, 31, will “face no further action” for his Majorca bar bust up but did condemn the 20-stone, 6ft 2in rugby star’s behaviour and future conduct.
The Sun has revealed further details of Vunipola’s wild night this week – as well as the extraordinary full CCTV footage of him being bolted twice with a Taser.
Shocking footage shows the England international being tackled to the ground by nine cops after laughing at them and slapping one in the face.
Locals in Palma said Vunipola had been boozing with around 20 other burly blokes in a bar called Havanna from around 7:30pm.
Vunipola said he was “involved in an unfortunate misunderstanding” which “got out of hand” as he left the club – despite local reports saying he was violent.
Official Saracens statement in full
Saracens can confirm that after an internal investigation, Billy Vunipola will face no further action from the club.
We condemn the behaviour and have warned Billy about his future conduct.
We now look forward to the remainder of the Gallagher Premiership season, and consider this case closed.
The morning after the ordeal, Vunipola faced a “speedy” trial in the Spanish island’s capital Palma before flying home to Stansted Airport on Monday.
He was fined £205 for resisting the law and a minor crime of wounding.
Court officials in Majorca confirmed on Monday that Vunipola had pleaded guilty to “resisting the law” and “a minor crime of wounding”.
A police officer suffered injuries to his wrist and finger after the rugby player “lunged” at the cop, according to sentencing documents.
Officers responded to a call from security staff at Epic bar in the island’s capital, Palma, who said a “big man” was throwing bottles and bar stools at them, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.
Vunipola – said to have been teetotal for nearly two years before this booze bender – apologised in a statement and said he would cooperate with any internal probes.
He said in a statement: “I can confirm I was involved in an unfortunate misunderstanding when I was leaving a club in Mallorca on Sunday, which got out of hand.
“Contrary to media reports, there was no violence, no fight and I did not threaten anybody at any stage, with bottles or chairs or anything else.”
The co-owner of Epic bar – where Vunipola was arrested – hit back at the sportsmen’s statement, telling The Sun: “He wasn’t leaving the club. He refused to go.
“He got annoyed because he wanted to stay inside without a T-shirt and we said he’s too drunk.
The owner, Janek, continued: “I want some money back from him. We are speaking to our lawyers as we want to get the money directly from Vunipola.
“This incident has damaged our image – some people who’ve seen what happened might not want to come here again.”
BILLY’S WILD NIGHT
The party swiftly moved on well past 1am to a bar called Epic where he spent £100 in a few hours on drinks.
Locals say he downed four amarettos shortly before he started dancing with his top off and refused to put it back on for 20 minutes.
He was said to have been bumping into some of the other 60 revellers and refusing to stop so staff called police.
The second Epic co-owner Toni Rocha said the rugby player caused problems after arriving at the bar just before 3am on Sunday.
He is said to have “became worse” when he saw police officers arrive on scene.
Toni said: “I heard him insult police and say ‘f*g cops’ at one point and there was another moment where he had his shirt off and hit an officer in the face with the top in his hand as the officer tried to reason with him.
“He laughed the first time they went to taser him, it was like a film, and I heard the words ‘another one’ and the second time round he fell to the ground and the officers immobilised him and put wrist-ties on him.”
He was seen in exclusive pictures captured by The Sun touching down in the UK yesterday looking sheepish and walking through the terminal with his hands in his pockets.
The rugby player had a cut above his left knee, similar to a wound that may have been inflicted by one of the police’s taser shots.
Saracens Rugby Club said on Monday that it was “aware of an incident involving Billy Vunipola in Majorca”.
The club added: “We will of course deal with this incident internally, and will not make any further comment until then.”
He was later arrested at 4.30am.
The World Cup star – who has played for England 75 times – was then taken to hospital and strapped to a bed with tape as he was sedated.
Billy Vunipola's career
BILLY VUNIPOLA was born to Tongan parents in Australia in 1992 and moved to Wales aged six after his dad signed with Pontypool RFC.
He played for New Panteg RFC and Thornbury RFC as a youngster before landing a scholarship to the prestigious Harrow School.
His impressive displays for Harrow saw him picked up by Rugby Union giants Wasps.
He made his first-team debut in the 2011-12 season and made a further 29 appearances before leaving the club at the end of the following season.
Vunipola was snapped up by his current club Saracens, whom he’s won a slew of silverware with, in January 2013.
The 31-year-old has won three European Rugby Champions Cups and four Premiership titles with Sarries.
The fan favourite has scored 145 points in 178 appearances for Mark McCall’s side.
Vunipola has been a mainstay of England squads for the last 11 years, making 75 appearances for the Red Roses.
He made his England debut in their 2013 tour of South America, coming off the bench to score in a 32–3 win over Argentina.
Vunipola has tasted Six Nations glory three times with England and the bitter pain of World Cup final heartache in 2019.