England vs Tonga is a real World Cup family affair for Billy Vunipola
Last Updated: 20/09/19 7:46pm
Billy Vunipola's rugby heritage will come full circle when he lines up for England against Tonga in Sunday's World Cup Pool C opener.
Vunipola will start at No 8 as the nations clash in only the third instalment of a narrative that began two decades ago when Billy's father and uncle ran out at Twickenham for the Pacific Islanders in the 1999 version of the tournament.
Fe'ao and Elisi were on the wrong end of a 101-10 hiding that day, but the occasion left a lasting impression on a wide-eyed six-year-old who was born in Australia but had spent long spells in Tonga.
"It was such a surreal time for me and my brother Mako as we had just got off the plane and were straight into a World Cup," Vunipola said.
"We were just taking it in our stride by following my dad around to Twickenham.
"I remember Twickenham being like a spaceship because it was so big compared to anything we had ever seen coming from Tonga.
"We then watched them against the All Blacks at Ashton Gate and we saw Jonah Lomu up close getting on to the bus. It was pretty awesome.
"I think he was just excited to see us as kids, which says a lot about him."
Eight years later and the Vunipolas had settled in Bristol via a spell in Wales and this time the extended family gathered together to watch the next meeting between England and Tonga around the household TV.
"I remember it because after the game we had to go for a run. We and my brother and my cousins had to go for a run and we used the Tonga game as an excuse to get out of it," Vunipola said.
"And then, when they lost my dad was a bit annoyed and everyone reminded him that we had to run. So we had to go and run!
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"I remember watching that game. I remember Tonga doing all right but I always had an inkling that England had too much."
In financial terms the Pool C clash on day three of the World Cup is a giant mismatch with England stars earning £25,000 a week while Tonga's players are given only around £330.
However, Vunipola has warned that anything can happen on the global stage and has warned his team-mates against complacency.
"I know what it's like for them to take on England because I have had the same mentality," Vunipola said.
"They have a lot of pride. You can just go back through the history - Tonga has never been colonised and that fact has been fed down through to me and my dad.
"I know that my dad thinks they could have beaten England in 1999 - even though they lost 101-10.
"That's just the way they are and that helps me a lot to prepare for games. They will say all week that we don't respect them, but we do.
"They always go alright at World Cups. They always take a big scalp so we have to be prepared for that. It will be an onslaught of relentless physicality."
