Billy Vunipola On Why He Won’t Wear Strapping Anymore Despite Injury Problems

“If I’m strapped, I’m injured.”

Billy Vunipola has admitted he ‘hates’ wearing strapping and that he won’t strap his damaged shoulder despite professionals telling him to do so.

The Saracens number eight injured his shoulder last season, missing most of the campaign, before returning to star in the latter stages of the Champions Cup with a man of the match performance in the final.

He was then forced to miss the Lions tour of New Zealand to have his shoulder operated on, after admitting he played through the pain to return and help Saracens to a second successive Champions Cup.

Vunipola also missed much of this season with a broken arm, and a knee problem.

“When I feel like I’m back to normal I forget I was injured and that’s probably why I get injured all the time.” Vunipola told the Sun.

“I’m supposed to strap my arm up too, but I hate wearing strapping so I just don’t use it. I get this weird thing in my head that if I’m strapped, I’m injured.”

Vunipola has also admitted he recently hid a hamstring injury from Saracens after he messed it up while practising some AFL kicking in his spare time. He does however, expect to be fit in time for England first Test with South Africa next weekend.

“It was my fault, I was doing some AFL kicking and then my hammy went tight before the Premiership semi-final.” Vunipola said

 “I didn’t tell the coaches, but when I came off at half-time against Wasps I told them, I was like: ‘Sorry guys, I was doing AFL kicking’. I stitched myself up there and I probably shouldn’t have said this.

“I had to manage myself a bit better the week after and now I feel strong again. I had a really good start to this week and hopefully, next week I’ll train fully and be fine.