Billy Vunipola was once sceptical about psychologists but says near-daily chats with a specialist have played a major part in the England number eight’s return to top form in Australia.
After a period of international exile, Vunipola produced his finest performance for his country in years on Saturday as England levelled the three-test series 1-1 with a 25-17 win in Brisbane.
Vunipola led from the front with an early try and racked up 66 metres from 15 carries at Lang Park to help England charge to a 19-0 lead that Australia were unable to reel in.
It was a performance England fans had long yearned for from the Saracens loose forward, who Eddie Jones cut from his squad last September.
Jones told Vunipola of his decision over a chat at a pub, urging him to be “the best version of himself”, a well-intentioned piece of advice that nonetheless left the player cold.
“At the time I disagreed with him but looking back now he was right,” Vunipola told reporters in the lead up to the series-decider in Sydney on Saturday.
“I’ve never really believed in psychologists before. But after talking to Eddie, I felt like I needed something extra, someone to tell me the honest truth.
“And I found someone who was class, but I won’t say his name. We talked nearly every day for six or seven months.”
After helping England reach the 2019 World Cup final in Japan, Vunipola’s club career hit a low point as Saracens were relegated from the English Premiership in 2020 for persistent salary cap breaches.
He felt like he had fallen out of love with the game and lost focus after becoming a father in late-2020, becoming distracted by “silly” stuff, including investments to finance a life post-rugby.
“One of our first conversations was me complaining about being relegated,” the 29-year-old said of his sessions with the psychologist.
“He basically said, ‘What can you do about it?’ I said, ‘Nothing’. He said, ‘What can you do about your rugby?’ And I was like, ‘Everything’.
“He was a massive help.”
Getting back on track has meant a renewed dedication to fitness, sleep and diet for Vunipola, who likened rugby to a labour of love similar to fathering a new-born baby.
“What I mean with my baby is (it’s) like you have no sleep but you don’t love him less and I think that’s how I felt about rugby,” he said.
“I went through a tough time, whether it was form or injuries, but I never stopped loving rugby.
“I like running into people, tackling people, getting up and mentally toughing it out.”