Tuesday 9 May 2017 19:02, UK
Billy Vunipola says he will heed a telling-off from his aunties in Australia after they warned him to keep his cool ahead of the European Champions Cup final.
The British and Irish Lions No 8 revealed he had been reprimanded for letting frustrations boil over in last month's 27-25 Aviva Premiership win at Northampton, and the usually-composed 24-year-old has admitted "getting flustered" on several recent occasions.
However, he insisted his family have quickly kept him in check ahead of Saracens' bid to retain their European Champions Cup title against Clermont in Saturday's final at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, live on Sky Sports 3HD.
"I haven't been trying to be angry, I've just let myself get riled up," said Vunipola. "I've always had that competitive edge, I think it just boiled over on the wrong side there in a couple of games recently. It's something I've kept a good lid on overall but I have to keep working on it.
"My aunties did email me to tell me off. It's all about staying humble and remaining grounded. They think that in their perspective that I was acting as though I was more important than everyone else in the team.
"They told me to keep my head down, stop being arrogant and spoiled, which is good, because it keeps me grounded.
"I think it's fun when the crowd are shouting at you, booing you. Because it gives you an opportunity to prove them wrong. There were times when I have been getting flustered, but I'm only human. But it's part of the attraction, part of what everyone loves in a rugby match and a challenge."
Vunipola also predicted that his cousins will raid the mountains of kit he received at this week's administration session after his call-up to next month's Lions tour to New Zealand.
Mako Vunipola toured Australia with the Lions four years ago, and Billy revealed his brother has seen most of that kit disappear through light-fingered relatives.
"If you went to our house you probably wouldn't find any Lions kit because we've got so many cousins who steal it!" joked Vunipola, who expects a host of Tongan relatives to pop up throughout next month's Lions tour in New Zealand.
"If we make it on tour we might make it back with about 25 per cent of the kit. All my brother's kit has gone from the last tour, and all he's got left is the bags.
"I honestly couldn't tell you how many cousins we've got, because more just come out of the woodwork! It's nice, it's my family, you've always got to look after family. If any Tongan person turns up, you just bring them in with open arms.
"Usually my mum and dad will say afterwards whether they are family or not, but even if they're not you still have to treat them that way, because they are Tongan."
