Manu Vunipola (rugby union, born 2000)

Last updated

Manu Vunipola
Birth nameChristian Fainga Manu Mapu' Aho Ta Aki-M Vunipola [1]
Date of birth (2000-05-04) 4 May 2000 (age 22)
Place of birth Auckland, New Zealand
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) [1]
Weight92 kg (14 st 7 lb; 203 lb) [1]
School Harrow School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half
Current team Saracens
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2018–present Saracens 52 [1] (230 [1] )
Correct as of 30 May 2022

Manu Vunipola (born 4 May 2000) [1] is a rugby union fly-half for Saracens in Premiership Rugby. Born in New Zealand, he has represented England under-18s and England under-20s.

Contents

Personal life

Vunipola was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and grew up in Somerset, England. [2] He is the son of former Tongan international Elisi Vunipola, [2] [3] and the cousin of Saracens teammates Billy and Mako Vunipola. [3] [4] [5] [6] He attended The King Alfred School, Highbridge. [7] As a junior, he played for Burnham RFC, [2] and captained the Harrow School rugby team. [2] [8]

Career

Club career

In 2017, Vunipola played for Saracens under-18s in the Aviva Premiership under-18s finals day. [9] Vunipola then played for Saracens Storm, the A team of Saracens, and also played on loan for Bishop's Stortford. [7] Vunipola made his Saracens debut in January 2019, [2] in a 2018–19 Premiership Rugby Cup match against Harlequins. [7] [10] He made his Premiership Rugby debut in a 2018–19 match against Exeter Chiefs, [8] [10] and later made his first Premiership Rugby start in a match against Worcester Warriors. [8]

In September 2019, Vunipola scored his first try for Saracens in a 2019–20 Premiership Rugby match against Wasps. [11] In January 2020, Vunipola scored 17 points in a 2019–20 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage match, as Saracens beat Ospreys 22–15. [4] In the same month, referee Luke Pearce appointed Vunipola as Saracens captain, after Pearce decided he did not want to speak with Jackson Wray during a match against Harlequins. [12] In a February 2020 Premiership Rugby match against Sale, Vunipola scored 17 points and won a man of the match award. [6]

He has re-signed with Saracens until at least the 2022–23 season. [13]

International career

In 2018, Vunipola was called up to the England under-18s team. [5] In total, he made four appearances for the team. [10] Vunipola made his first start for England under-20s in their final match of the 2019 Six Nations Under 20s Championship against Scotland under-20s. [14] [15] He had made two previous substitute appearances in the tournament. [15] He was selected for the 2019 World Rugby Under 20 Championship in Argentina, [3] and also for the 2020 Six Nations Under 20s Championship. [16] He played in the Six Nations match against France under-20s in Grenoble, [12] [17] but missed the match against Ireland under-20s after returning to Tonga for personal reasons. [18] As of February 2020, he has made nine appearances for England under-20s. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Ashton</span> England dual-code rugby international footballer

Christopher John Ashton is an English rugby union and former rugby league footballer, and one of the few players who have represented England in both rugby codes. A wing or fullback, he joined Leicester Tigers of Premiership Rugby in February 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Strettle</span> England international rugby union player

David Strettle,, is a former English rugby union wing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Easter</span> England international rugby union player

Nicholas James Easter is an English rugby union coach and former player. He played as a Number 8 for Orrell, Harlequins and the England national team.

Mark McCall is an Irish former rugby union player and current Director of Rugby (DoR) at Saracens. While DoR for Saracens the team has won the English Premiership Rugby competition five times and the European Cup three times. He played 11 times for the Ireland national rugby union team, making his debut against New Zealand on 30 May 1992 as a substitute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Owen Farrell</span> England international professional rugby union player

Owen Andrew Farrell is an English professional rugby union player, currently captain of Gallagher Premiership side Saracens. Farrell has played international rugby for England since 2012. Farrell is one of the top points scorers in test history, having scored over 1000 points from over 100 tests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie George</span> British Lions & England international rugby union player

Jamie Edward George is an English professional rugby union player who plays at hooker for Saracens in the Gallagher Premiership. He has also represented the England Rugby Team at under-16, under-18, under-20 level and represented the senior side at the 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mako Vunipola</span> British Lions & England international rugby union player

Mako Vunipola is a professional rugby union player who plays as a loosehead prop for English club Saracens and the England national team. Born in New Zealand to Tongan parents, he qualified for England through residency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Kruis</span> British Lions & England international rugby union player

George Edward John Kruis is an English former professional rugby union player. He played lock for Saracens and represented England and the British & Irish Lions. He was almost always used as a jumper in the line-out due to his height and athleticism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Vunipola</span> England international rugby union player

Billy Vunipola is a professional rugby union player who plays at Number 8 for Saracens in the Gallagher Premiership and for the England national team. Born in Australia to Tongan parents, he qualified for England through residency. He made his England debut in 2013 and has since won over 50 caps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Sinckler</span> British Lions & England international rugby union player

Kyle Sinckler is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a tighthead prop for Premiership club Bristol Bears and the English national team. He has previously played for Harlequins, Richmond and Ealing Trailfinders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maro Itoje</span> British Lions & England international rugby union player

Oghenemaro Miles "Maro" Itoje is an English professional rugby union player, who plays as a lock or as a blindside flanker for Gallagher Premiership club Saracens and the England national team. He signed his first professional contract with Saracens in 2012, and made his first appearance the following year. He received his first-call up to the England team in 2016 ahead of the annual Six Nations Championship, and became a firm favourite to both Saracens and England fans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcus Smith (rugby union)</span> British Lions & England international rugby union player

Marcus Sebastian Smith is an English professional rugby union player who plays at fly-half for Premiership Rugby side Harlequins. He has played for England since 2021 and was selected as a replacement for the 2021 Lions tour to South Africa.

Samuel David Simmonds is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a back row forward for Premiership Rugby side Exeter Chiefs. After graduating through their academy, Simmonds made his Exeter Chiefs debut in November 2012.

The 2019–20 Gallagher Premiership was the 33rd season of the top flight English domestic rugby union competition and the second one to be sponsored by Gallagher. The reigning champions entering the season were Saracens, who had claimed their fifth title after defeating Exeter Chiefs in the 2019 final. London Irish had been promoted as champions from the 2018–19 RFU Championship at the first attempt.

The 2019–20 Premiership Rugby Cup was the 48th season of England's national rugby union cup competition and the second under the new Premiership Rugby Cup format following the disbanding of the Anglo-Welsh Cup at the end of the 2017–18 season due to the withdrawal of the Welsh Pro14 regions. Although there were no stipulations on player selection, the cup was seen by many clubs as a development competition, and games took place during the 2019 Rugby World Cup and during the Six Nations.

Oliver Harry Sleightholme is an English professional rugby union footballer. He plays as a winger for Northampton Saints. His father, Jon Sleightholme, was an England international.

George Frederick Martin is an English professional rugby union player who plays for Leicester Tigers in Premiership Rugby. His preferred position is lock, but he also plays back row. He was a Premiership Rugby champion in 2022.

Tom Roebuck is an English rugby union player who plays for Sale Sharks in Premiership Rugby.

Hugh Peter Tizard is an English professional rugby union player, who currently plays as a lock for Premiership Rugby side Saracens. He previously played for Harlequins.

Sam Crean is an English professional rugby union player, who currently plays as a prop forward for Premiership Rugby side Saracens.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Manu Vunipola". ESPNscrum . Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Young Gun: Saracens fly-half Manu Vunipola's cousins aren't his only influences". The Rugby Paper. 19 March 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 "U20 Championship 2019: Pool B preview". World Rugby . Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Saracens survive sending off to keep quarter-final hopes alive". Irish Independent . 12 January 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  5. 1 2 "A third Vunipola? England Under 18s name 2018 squad". Ruck.co.uk. 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  6. 1 2 Hathaway, Adam (15 February 2020). "Manu Vunipola inspires Saracens to bonus point victory over Sale" . The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 Collings, Simon (25 January 2019). "New breed of Vunipola set for Saracens run as Manu prepares for debut". Evening Standard . Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 "Manu Vunipola". Saracens . Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  9. ↑ Lowe, Alex (17 February 2017). "Meet Manu, the latest Vunipola to catch the eye" . The Times . Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Manu Vunipola". England Rugby . Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  11. ↑ "Premiership Cup: Manu Vunipola scores first try as top flight rugby union season begins". BBC Sport . 21 September 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  12. 1 2 Morgan, Charlie (31 January 2020). "Manu Vunipola interview: Meatballs, Saracens and the softer side of Owen Farrell" . The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  13. ↑ "Manu Vunipola re-signs until 2023". Saracens. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  14. ↑ "ENGLAND UNDER-20S FINISH ON A HIGH WITH SCOTLAND WIN". Six Nations Rugby. 15 March 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  15. 1 2 "The third Vunipola makes his first England U20 start on Friday". Ruck.co.uk. 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  16. ↑ "DICKENS NAMES ENGLAND SQUAD FOR UNDER-20S SIX NATIONS". Six Nations Rugby. 3 January 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  17. ↑ "Saracens trio in England U20 squad to face France". Hampstead & Highgate Express . 30 January 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  18. ↑ Watterson, Jonny (21 February 2020). "Ireland expecting 'very abrasive' English challenge at Franklin's Gardens". The Irish Times . Retrieved 8 March 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.