Billy Vunipola: Ulster have nothing to lose and everything to gain in Challenge Cup final

"For us when we look at Ulster, we see a team that's very well organised, but can also play in the chaos," said Vunipola, whose Montpellier side play Ulster in Friday's Challenge Cup final

Montpellier's Billy Vunipola:“We know how we want to play, and we don't deviate too far from what we can do." Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie

Billy Vunipola has been around. Born in Sydney to Tongan parents, he grew up in Wales and spent over a decade playing in and for England.

On Friday he will be wearing the colours of a French club when Montpellier contest the Challenge Cup final with Ulster in Spain.

Ireland, and the province specifically, have already played significant roles in that journey.

The veteran No.8 faced Ireland ten times and won six of them. His relationship with the provinces is even better. Saracens in his time there played Irish clubs 15 times and won all but three. Leinster, Munster and Ulster were all scalped in various knockout ties.

Now it’s Ulster again who stand between him and what would be a fourth ‘European’ title to add to the three Champions Cups he claimed at Sarries, and with the opposition having to bounce back from a loss to Glasgow that has already cost them dearly.

That defeat in Belfast left Richie Murphy’s team ninth and outside the URC playoff places. Fail to beat the side sitting second in the Top 14 this weekend and they will have to make do with more Challenge Cup rugby rather than the Champions variety next term.

Vunipola sees danger in that.

“They were unlucky last week against Glasgow. They played really well against a very good team who are top of the URC. They probably should have won that game. For us when we look at Ulster, we see a team that's very well organised, but can also play in the chaos.

“So we're very aware of the weapons that they have, and to layer on top of that, the fact it's their last game. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain. They're fighting for a place in the Champions Cup next year, which they narrowly missed out on.” 

It’s ironic then that his own career and potential role in denying Ulster their hearts desire at the San Mames has been fashioned in such a large part by a man from Bangor and a former head coach of the province from days gone by.

It was Mark McCall who extracted the best years out of Vunipola after his arrival at Saracens 13 years ago. So much so that the player messaged the coach recently when it was announced that McCall will be leaving Sarries this summer.

“I won't say what I said to him, but for a young player to have been recruited by ‘Smally’, he had a massive influence on me as a person, and he changed my mindset because I thought that I was good. He just challenged me every day to be better.

“That helped me to be more driven in searching for ways to be better, and to essentially grow into the player that I could have been, whereas if I stayed in my comfort zone at Wasps I don't think I would have ever asked those questions that he asked me.

“Everything that happened with Saracens I don't think would have happened if it wasn't for him and his influence on the team and the amount of knowledge that he has for rugby. So yeah, very grateful to be recruited by Smally.” 

As for Ulster, he’s well versed in the individual threats.

Juarno Augustus was playing for Northampton Saints on the day Vunipola featured for Saracens for the last time two years ago. He is a fan of Nick Timoney’s workrate and Cormac Izuchukwu’s athleticism and positioning.

“They complement each other very well, but they've also got their own superpowers that they bring to the team: Augustus with his feet, speed and power, Timoney with his constant work rate. He's fast too. We've watched a lot of clips and hopefully we’re ready.” 

Vunipola is loving this French chapter, on the field and off, having arrived with a view to prove he was “not here for a pay cheque” at the fag end of his career and into an organisation changing its very DNA.

Once a repository of world stars, Montpellier are a more grounded operation now. The coaching staff has been sourced locally and Vunipola is a rarity in terms of his name recognition. Their style is similar: all grunt, little glitz.

“We know how we want to play, and we don't deviate too far from what we can do. Pretty simple, and, yeah, we try and stay in games through our defense and our setpiece. It's what has worked for us.”