Later this month, 41 rugby players from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales are tasked with one of the toughest challenges in the sport’s history. The British and Irish Lions head to New Zealand to face the world champions in three Test matches, as well as taking on all five of the nation’s Super Rugby franchises, the New Zealand Barbarians and the Maori All Blacks.
Chances of victory are slim, and a heavy series defeat will likely lead to more questions over the value of the Lions in the professional era. However, while the existence of the Lions has repeatedly been questioned from a playing perspective, there can be no doubting how powerful the side remain off the pitch.
The team are – in rugby terms at least – a commercial behemoth, and they boast a number of high profile sponsors. Among them are Land Rover, and last week three of the players were joined by a group of journalists in the leafy depths of middle-England as they got to drive the company's latest four-by-fours in the name of the Lions.
And while the likes of Leigh Halfpenny and Owen Farrell blended in discretely with the crowd, one man stood head and shoulders above both those around him and the big white cars he was asked to drive and pose in front of.
Billy Vunipola is very much a player in the All Black-mould – only he will be donning the red of the Lions this summer. Having made his debut for England in 2013, Vunipola is now a talismanic figure for both his country and club side Saracens, and picked up three man-of-the-match awards as Eddie Jones's side secured the Grand Slam in 2016.
Career defining month
This season has proved more frustrating for the 24-year-old, with a knee injury keeping him out of the Six Nations until he returned for the final fixture, a defeat against Ireland. However, he is now fully fit and on the brink of a potentially career defining month, as he looks to secure domestic and continental silverware for Saracens before sinking the All Blacks.
And has, in a perverse way, injury helped keep him fresh for the crunch period which lies ahead?
“I think that was the blessing in disguise,” he explains. “If all things fell in place I’d be in a similar position to what I am in now, obviously it was disappointing to miss out on the Six Nations and potentially playing with the boys again but these things happen.
“I’ve got a lot of things to look forward to . . . we’ve [Saracens]got massive games and that leads onto the back of a Lions tour which I’m hugely excited for and I’m honoured to be named in.”
Vunipola provides exactly the type of ball-carrying ballast the Lions will need to beat the All Blacks, and unsurprisingly he is relishing the physical battle which lies in wait. “I think with New Zealand every time I’ve played them – and I’ve been lucky to play them in my early career I think four times – I’ve never won but I think the thing that stands out for me is how physical they are and how much they treasure that gainline.
“It’s the challenge for them before you can move onto the next challenge – can you match them physically? If you can’t then they will just play at the tempo they want to play at. They’re an amazing team, but this squad is outrageously good and we’ll see how we can gel and see how special we can make this tour. I have every faith that we can. It’s a great coaching set up as well, so I’m excited about it.”
Cousin
Vunipola is many people’s favourite to take the number eight jersey, but if there is one area of Gatland’s squad which is highly competitive it is the backrow. And not only will he be travelling with his brother, Saracens prop Mako, but Vunipola will be up against his cousin, Wales’s Taulupe Faletau, for a starting berth.
"He [Faletau]was unlucky as well with injuries leading up to the Six Nations and never really got a run of games, even in the November series. Ross Moriarty stepped in and did an amazing job and I think he's another candidate as well for the number eight jersey, and also CJ [Stander]. There's a big group of us that are all vying for three shirts and that's the best thing about this squad – competition is rife all across the board," he says.
“I think for me I’m just interested in learning off everyone – not just the coaches but the players as well and picking their brains and seeing how they operate, and that’s something that really interests me.”
Ireland’s win over the All Blacks in Chicago last November showed they are beatable, but have Joe Schmidt’s side provided a blueprint for defeating the world champions?
“I think it shows that teams can beat them if you have belief,” says Vunipola, “and I think the biggest thing I saw from that game was how much belief Ireland had, even when New Zealand were coming back at them.
“But to say there’s a blueprint for beating the All Blacks probably undermines how good they are and how good they are at improving – not covering up weaknesses but getting stronger.
“I think for us we need to play the way we play and let them play the way they play, and that clash should see us out.
“I think if we just back ourselves – we have to back ourselves and we have to believe in it. If we don’t believe in it then you guys won’t believe in it, the supporters won’t believe in it and we all might as well pack our bags and go home.”
With the likes of Vunipola in a red jersey, there will always be belief the Lions can make history and beat the All Blacks for the first time since 1971.
