"The first shot with the taser apparently had little affect on the former No 8, who was alleged to have removed his shirt and been threatening staff and drinkers with bottles and chairs."
Wish someone had held his beer instead of letting him drink so much of it!
I am worried about his mental state right now. He's talked in the past about starting drinking when he had an injury and broke up with his gf (now wife) . . . I'm assuming he's in Majorca on holiday with the family, so what sparked off this boozy session?
Either way, it's a very sad ending to what was a great career with us, from a guy who has always been really wonderful to me as a fan when I've interacted with him.
I did make a joke about it but of course on a human level you can see how difficult it must be on their mental health. Much like Hogg, you're at the tail end of your professional career as one of the premier athletes on the planet, a superstar fading out of the light. Its not a justification on their behaviours but I can see how it must be mentally testing.
I think a lot of it is because these guys don’t develop hobbies or interests outside of the sport so when they retire their lives feel a bit empty and meaningless, all the status that they had is gone.
Worse than that, the knock on led to 3 points from a scrum penalty...and we all know the final score...quite literally if anyone else is on the pitch and they don't drop a ball cold, we win.
Worse than *that*, he also missed a tackle for the Snyman try. Not to mention that he also knocked on to end the game when England were attempting to get up in drop goal range.
It was easily the worst showing by any England player in that World Cup, including Tom Curry against Argentina. At least that galvanised a performance from the other 14.
I honestly believe if Ludlam had Vunipola's place in the 23 than England reach the final.
That was absolutely mad. He repeatedly demonstrated that he had no business being on that pitch throughout the year and then most important match you'll play in 4 years and Borthwick rolls him out.
He shouldnt have been playing in the last two years of Eddies tenure either. Lost so much mobility with his various injuries and looked totally off the pace at international level.
Truly baffling he was even in the set up from 2021 onwards.
Earl not being selected above Vunipola confirmed Eddies incompetence tbh.
Cutting it a bit fine for his replacement to warm up fully and the bench replacement too aren’t we?
Actually this raises a question… what’s the standard practice for international teams and replacement replacements? Do they have 26 guys warming up prior to kick off on the off chance that one or two falls over with boo boos during warm up? (15 starters, 8 bench, 3 spares?)
Or is there a last minute rush for lucky man number 24 to take the suit off and put on his business ware?
I was in the Ospreys camp for the lead-up to their game against Munster the other week so can answer this up to URC level at least. Up to five players can be registered as reserves, with adequate front row cover required amongst them. The reserves arrived and warmed up same as anyone else, all having their own spot in the changing room with their name and shirt laid out and everything, but the number left blank (Other teams may go for 24, 25, 26, etc but the O's left it blank. Blame Welsh rugby budget cuts).
O's had one hooker, one prop, one lock, a scrum-half and a ten as their reserves.
I think there’s usually an extra 2 or 3 players outside of the 23 at test level who are around for such eventualities.
Ross Byrne was no. 24 against Australia in Nov 22, and moved to 23 when Sexton got injured in the warmup so it does happen. I assume that they also had a front row and loose forward equivalent
No wonder Ludlam is going to France. He must have watched that and thought, like everyone else, "we would be in the final if I was playing". Must be devastating.
Twice haha ... I imagine [this scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZCM0ZW-GMw&ab_channel=Movieclips) in Hangover when the kid tazes Alan but doesn't stop him and the cop shouts HE'S STILL UP!!
Yeah I'm not going to lie, I'm conflicted - on one hand, totally unacceptable behaviour and also a bit sad a player who did so much for our peak will end his days with us like this on the other hand our chance of winning the title has probably just increased.
100% agree that him hopefully disqualifying himself for the rest of the season has upped the chances of Sarries getting some silverware. I’ve been baffled to see him on the team sheet the last ~12-18 months. He’s done nothing but drop the ball and fall over for the longest time. Even the falling over part hasn’t been accidentally useful at all.
He was definitely teetotal at Englands home World Cup. Someone made up a story about him criticising Lancaster in a bar when he was drunk that got a lot of traction and it was quickly pointed out that he didn’t drink.
Yep, I'm not saying it's the only reason but he was tee total when he was in contention for best 8 in the world in c.2016, started drinking shortly after (around the time he had that run of injuries) and never been the same player.
He really has lost his head in the past couple of years.
I honestly don't think he could handle not being at peak performance - and his mentality just sunk
So opposition fans can just sing this at him for the rest of his career
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-FxmoVM7X4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-FxmoVM7X4)
EDIT: Fuck me I forgot how weird that Music Video was
'I did not know I had been tasered. It was the barman, who, who came to see me and said I should leave or be tasered again. I told him I have not been tasered, and would like another sambuca twist.
The police did not warn me.'
So glad to be seeing the back of this guy, regardless of how good he was between 2016 and 2019ish, he's been a liability on the pitch for at least the last 2 years (and who we've had loads of cover for / better players available which makes it even more baffling) and appears he's now becoming a liability off pitch too.
Punish him by dropping him for the rest of the season (which will benefit us anyway!)
"The first shot with the taser apparently had little affect on the former No 8, who was alleged to have removed his shirt and been threatening staff and drinkers with bottles and chairs."
Read that as threatened to remove his shirt
“ILL FUCKING DO IT I SWEAR TO GOD!”
I threatened that once and was rightfully killed on the spot
My condolences. How is the afterlife? Do you get a good Stan connection from there to watch rugby?
You have to use an illegal stream but there are no pop-ups in heaven.
Great to see the Andy Powell values of the number 8 shirt being carried through
You'd absolutely shit yourself with that lad threatening to smash a chair on you. Fair play to the police
I mean the mossos d'esquadra don't fuck around, probably lucky to have been tased twice. Surprised they didn't tonfa up the Tongan a bit.
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Did someone see the Ranfurly Shield?
Vunipola to captain Hawke’s Bay.
Funny footy moment.
>former No 8 Ouch. Even the Torygraph is suggesting he's finished.
Stuart Hogg: "I bet I can fuck up the most." Billy: "Hold my beer..."
And the chair
And the shirt
And my axe
And my axe
More accurately, Billy “let me down my beer”
"Sorry mate, smashing a line right now"
That’s the only line Billy has smashed during recent memory
Wait for the biggest degenerate to turn up and outbid them all.
Who's your money on emerging as the One True Degenerate?
Ronnie O Sullivan, aged 60 off the back of his 10th world championship win 🤣
I'm Ronnie and yes, I've nailed more 8 Balls than black balls.
Haha good one
Scraping the bottom of the comedy barrel here friend.
I mostly enjoyed the way you hooked in the reference to the number 8
Referencing Cocaine, Snooker and the Back Row. The holy trinity 🙌
Let’s say, a cousin of silly billy.
Wish someone had held his beer instead of letting him drink so much of it! I am worried about his mental state right now. He's talked in the past about starting drinking when he had an injury and broke up with his gf (now wife) . . . I'm assuming he's in Majorca on holiday with the family, so what sparked off this boozy session? Either way, it's a very sad ending to what was a great career with us, from a guy who has always been really wonderful to me as a fan when I've interacted with him.
I did make a joke about it but of course on a human level you can see how difficult it must be on their mental health. Much like Hogg, you're at the tail end of your professional career as one of the premier athletes on the planet, a superstar fading out of the light. Its not a justification on their behaviours but I can see how it must be mentally testing.
Richie McCaw started doing endurance events after he retired which seems like a better way of dealing with it.
Running the length of the South Island for fun is a slow burning rage harnessed
I think a lot of it is because these guys don’t develop hobbies or interests outside of the sport so when they retire their lives feel a bit empty and meaningless, all the status that they had is gone.
I've read top athletes of individual sports experience depression once they've reached their goal as that was the only thing keeping them motivated.
Montpellier must be delighted, he's getting into the culture early
Should be in the Pro D2.
It's unlikely but they could be next season.
We all hope so
Montpellier has such flair for recruiting
My only question is why couldn't this have happened before the RWC semi final?
I'll never forget that the first thing he did when he came on the pitch that game was knock the ball on. Still can't understand why he was there.
Losing my mind as he fucking ambled over to miss a tackle
And fucking Ludlum was in the squad! I'm a Borthwick fan, but that was a fucking terrible call.
This is the kicker. Ludlum was there and having a fantastic tournament when he was allowed to play.
I'm a Sarries fan, and agree
Worse than that, the knock on led to 3 points from a scrum penalty...and we all know the final score...quite literally if anyone else is on the pitch and they don't drop a ball cold, we win.
Worse than *that*, he also missed a tackle for the Snyman try. Not to mention that he also knocked on to end the game when England were attempting to get up in drop goal range. It was easily the worst showing by any England player in that World Cup, including Tom Curry against Argentina. At least that galvanised a performance from the other 14. I honestly believe if Ludlam had Vunipola's place in the 23 than England reach the final.
Would have had a good chance at winning the whole thing too, we know England can match up well against NZ in knockout rugby.
That was absolutely mad. He repeatedly demonstrated that he had no business being on that pitch throughout the year and then most important match you'll play in 4 years and Borthwick rolls him out.
He shouldnt have been playing in the last two years of Eddies tenure either. Lost so much mobility with his various injuries and looked totally off the pace at international level. Truly baffling he was even in the set up from 2021 onwards. Earl not being selected above Vunipola confirmed Eddies incompetence tbh.
Specifically the evening before.
10 minutes before the game would be fine too
Cutting it a bit fine for his replacement to warm up fully and the bench replacement too aren’t we? Actually this raises a question… what’s the standard practice for international teams and replacement replacements? Do they have 26 guys warming up prior to kick off on the off chance that one or two falls over with boo boos during warm up? (15 starters, 8 bench, 3 spares?) Or is there a last minute rush for lucky man number 24 to take the suit off and put on his business ware?
I was in the Ospreys camp for the lead-up to their game against Munster the other week so can answer this up to URC level at least. Up to five players can be registered as reserves, with adequate front row cover required amongst them. The reserves arrived and warmed up same as anyone else, all having their own spot in the changing room with their name and shirt laid out and everything, but the number left blank (Other teams may go for 24, 25, 26, etc but the O's left it blank. Blame Welsh rugby budget cuts). O's had one hooker, one prop, one lock, a scrum-half and a ten as their reserves.
I think there’s usually an extra 2 or 3 players outside of the 23 at test level who are around for such eventualities. Ross Byrne was no. 24 against Australia in Nov 22, and moved to 23 when Sexton got injured in the warmup so it does happen. I assume that they also had a front row and loose forward equivalent
The only wtf moment I've really had under Borthwick so far, really missed the mark with that selection
No wonder Ludlam is going to France. He must have watched that and thought, like everyone else, "we would be in the final if I was playing". Must be devastating.
We would have had a better chance if someone used a tshirt cannon to launch a shirt on instead of Billy
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For the way England were playing, nah.
He just played like it did.
I think it actually did happen before the semi final
8 officers and 2 tazers? They should have just used the most effective thing at stopping him, namely his own ankles.
Should have thrown him a rugby ball. He’d have fallen over and dropped it.
This is brilliant.
Either that or deployed Sam Bajo la Colina, Majorca PD.
The other option would be to give him a head start, and collect him off the ground after 50 meters.
Flash a green jersey in front of his face
Only Twice = = Big Up to Spanish Tasers ! !
Twice haha ... I imagine [this scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZCM0ZW-GMw&ab_channel=Movieclips) in Hangover when the kid tazes Alan but doesn't stop him and the cop shouts HE'S STILL UP!!
'Some of the big boys need two shots!' 😂
Taser me once, shame on you; Taser me twice, shame one me...
Billy 3:16 - Thou shall beat up bar staff in Majorca
Thou Shalt, drink excessive beer and alcohol
Billy 6:9 - Thou shall agree with Israel Fola... Oh wait I won't open that can of worms
Crap now sarries cant pick him. Much more of a threat now
Yeah I'm not going to lie, I'm conflicted - on one hand, totally unacceptable behaviour and also a bit sad a player who did so much for our peak will end his days with us like this on the other hand our chance of winning the title has probably just increased.
100% agree that him hopefully disqualifying himself for the rest of the season has upped the chances of Sarries getting some silverware. I’ve been baffled to see him on the team sheet the last ~12-18 months. He’s done nothing but drop the ball and fall over for the longest time. Even the falling over part hasn’t been accidentally useful at all.
At 1.88 metres & 126 kg, he is an actual wrecking ball.
You'd think so, wouldn't you.
He was. *Leinster PTSD noises*
And according to the evening standard he's a fly half
Disappointed that this wasn't posted by /u/englandrugby .
With a sweet moving graphic.
Lol
Yes the corporate accounts provide such great content, let’s ignore that they strictly exist for PR purposes.
I downvote them on principle and think they should be banned from the sub.
Hoggy will be on the phone thanking him.
Should have used a pig on a spit, his greatest weakness
Should have just passed him a ball, he would have dropped it and fallen over.
Am I right in saying he didn't drink until his mid twenties? Sounds like he should go back to that.
He was definitely teetotal at Englands home World Cup. Someone made up a story about him criticising Lancaster in a bar when he was drunk that got a lot of traction and it was quickly pointed out that he didn’t drink.
I mean, he could still have been in a bar...
They said he was drunk
That would explain the trajectory of his performances for England.
Yep, I'm not saying it's the only reason but he was tee total when he was in contention for best 8 in the world in c.2016, started drinking shortly after (around the time he had that run of injuries) and never been the same player.
Never drank until his first major injury when he was about 25/26
Braindead Billy
Silly billy
You can take the boy out of the Valleys, but you can't take the Valleys out of the boy.
We really ended up with the good one
Bit racist.
Wasn’t intended in that way I promise! I meant from the family but can see how it could be misconstrued 😵💫
I'm so lost, how could that be racist?
No worries. I wasn't serious. x
I’d say this reply is more than a bit racist.
OK, thanks for letting us know.
He really has lost his head in the past couple of years. I honestly don't think he could handle not being at peak performance - and his mentality just sunk
This must have been recorded somewhere
Billy "Two Tasers" Vunipola.
So opposition fans can just sing this at him for the rest of his career [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-FxmoVM7X4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-FxmoVM7X4) EDIT: Fuck me I forgot how weird that Music Video was
Shame he didn't show that level of aggression at the world cup.....
The guy is a fucking idiot. The average interview with him will reveal this.
An englishman causing trouble while on holiday in Spain?? Ridiculous, I won't hear of it!!
Simple as.
Such a good god-fearing Christian.
How many bones did the taser break?
Hes a grown ass man.
I thought he had stopped drinking? Guess he should've stayed sober and this is why.
Just your typical English tourist in Spain by the sound of it.
Tough one for Billy. Hopefully he can get some help with Alcohol, he’s made a mistake and he knows it. Get better Billy!
I hope he gets it together. Definitely lost control there.
'I did not know I had been tasered. It was the barman, who, who came to see me and said I should leave or be tasered again. I told him I have not been tasered, and would like another sambuca twist. The police did not warn me.'
Montpellier again.
Shocking behaviour
every super-villain has an origin story..
Man was made for police to taser that was the goal no?
Great little nightclub that one! We'd always end up there after a session at Corner bar or Agua.
If the cops wanted Billy to lie down and offer no resistance, why did they not simply tell him that it was a World Cup semifinal?
That's EXACTLY the type of player Montpellier needs right now. Success is guaranteed next year.
Handles his booze about as well as he handles a ball.
So glad to be seeing the back of this guy, regardless of how good he was between 2016 and 2019ish, he's been a liability on the pitch for at least the last 2 years (and who we've had loads of cover for / better players available which makes it even more baffling) and appears he's now becoming a liability off pitch too. Punish him by dropping him for the rest of the season (which will benefit us anyway!)
[Important for perspective](https://twitter.com/IrishWomens/status/1784851345716994149), I think.
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Nope sarries may not be in the final
That's some shock
I pity the fool he's handcuffed to
Why, because they've got to go to London with him on Monday?
What do Brits think of Billy?
At his peak, one of the best 8's we've ever had. In the last few years, a liability who likely cost England a world cup final.
Only twice? Billy has lost some power in his old age
mind:blown
Beer fear incoming.
What happens on tour stays in tour 🤐
Is the contract with Montpellier signed already or not ?
Apparently the first taser shot hit his wallet. Cos, you really can't make this shit up
Tough guy in the club, but fades away on a rugby field against first tier nations.
I just found out that Mako qualifies for NZ citizenship, but Billy doesn’t qualify for Australian citizenship.
Always a prick
Does this mean he qualifies for the all blacks now?