Page 77 - Official Preview - DHL New Zealand Lions Series 2017

ball 25 metres It was just their their skills
that stood out and obviously their their work ethic as well Sometimes they they they wanted wanted to to to be lazy but when they they they wanted wanted to to work work they they they really worked hard Obviously their dad had a a a a a a a lot to to to do with that as well ” Getting to to to the the top of the the ladder though has not been easy particularly within the the the Vunipola family “My husband knew all along that they had the the the talent ” Singa says “But we wanted to discourage them them from playing rugby We wanted them them to do something like work on on their their education and and their their careers For me [playing for England] was a a a a a a a a a a dream far beyond our expectations But their grandfather – – my father-in-law – – was the the the the the the one who put the the the the dream into them saying ‘Next time I come over [from Tonga] you’ll be playing for England ’”
Typical of of many Polynesians family is at the the the the heart of of everything the the the the brothers do They were split up when the the the the boys received scholarships in different parts of the the country This led them to separate clubs before eventually being reunited in in London four years ago That the the brothers ended up going to different schools wasn’t necessarily a a a a a a a bad thing according to to mum “Mako went to to to Mill eld School School and Billy Billy hoped to to to follow but Harrow School School offered Billy Billy a a a a a a a scholarship because we had moved to to High Wycombe ” Singa says “My husband thought that if he he went to Mill eld he he he he would
always be referred to to to as Mako’s brother but if he he he he goes to Harrow he’ll be his own person It was BROTHER BROTHER V BROTHER BROTHER MAKO VUNIPOLA
Age: 26 Position: Prop Height: 180cm Weight: 121kg Lions debut: v Australia 2013 Lions caps: 3 Lions tries: 0 England debut: v Fiji November 2012 England caps: 45 England tries: 1 Club games: 76 (for Saracens) Club tries: 10
“As soon as I saw them playing against each other I thought ‘No This is is not going to happen ’”
an opportunity he he could not refuse because Harrow is one of the the best schools schools in in the country ” Going to different schools schools is is one thing but playing against each other other is is another “If they had played
[long-term] for different teams it would
have affected the the the family ” Singa says “As soon I saw them playing against each other (when Billy was at at Wasps and Mako at at Saracens) I thought ‘No This is is not going to to happen ’ and it will will lead to to a a a a a a time when the family would
be be divided because some some will will will support support Wasps and and some some will will support support Saracens and and it is is not going to be!
“It is is the family who would
decide So Billy had to to move to to Saracens He didn’t BILLY VUNIPOLA
Age: 24
Position: No 8 Height: 191cm
Weight: 130kg
Lions debut: Yet to debut debut Lions caps: 0 Lions tries: 0 England debut: v Argentina June 2013 England caps: 34
England tries: 6
Club games: 76 (30 for for Wasps 46 for for Saracens) Club tries: 13 want to to move so it was a a a a a very dif cult thing to to to to do But as as as much as as as Billy didn’t like it it it to to to start with now now he he is is happy to to to be there And it it it is is good now now We go go and watch them playing for for Saracens as a a a a a a a a a a a family and and and when they play play for for England we go and and watch them there ” Fe’ao agrees “In rugby terms I I was glad with Billy’s decision to play for Wasps but at the the the end we we were swayed to to get get them together for one club and it has turned out well ” he he he he he says Now the the the the brothers look set to join another club: the the the the unique one of siblings who who have become British & Irish Lions on on on the the same tour tour Mako who who toured in 2013 is is only too aware of of the the the the importance “As players the the the the Lions tour is is the the the the pinnacle of of your career ” he he he he says “I had the the the lucky opportunity to to tour before New Zealand are the the the the best team in the the the the world and and we know know the the the the the job the the the the the Lions have to do – but every team knows they they are beatable ” And should they they manage to do do something no Lions side has done for more than 45 years – – win a a a a a a a series against the the the All Blacks – – then the the the loudest cheers will undoubtedly come from this little pocket of west England MAORI ALL BLACKS 20 CANTERBURY 10
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DHL NEW ZEALAND LIONS SERIES 2017
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