'Everything that happened with Saracens, I don't think would have happened if it wasn't for him'

Billy Vunipola has hailed the massive influence that Mark McCall has had on him as a person as the Saracens boss prepares to stand down after 15 trophy-laden seasons at the helm of the North London side.

McCall signed former England No.8 Vunipola, 33, from Wasps in 2013, and together they won four PREM rugby titles and three Investec Champions Cup crowns before he left for Montpellier two years ago.

Now Harrow School-educated Vunipola is bidding to add the Challenge Cup to his trophy haul against McCall’s former province Ulster in Bilbao on Friday night, and says that he sent him a message when the news of his departure came out.

And he says he believes all the success Saracens have enjoyed over the last decade is down to former Ireland international McCall and his knowledge of the game.

“I actually sent him a message when the news came out. I won’t say what I said to him, but for a young player to have been recruited by ‘Smally’, he had a massive influence on me as a person, and he changed my mindset because I thought that I was good.

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Challenge Cup

Montpellier

59 - 26

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Ulster

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“He just challenged me every day to be better. That helped me to be more driven in searching for ways to be better and to essentially grow into the player that I could have been.

“Whereas if I stayed in my comfort zone at Wasps, I don’t think I would have ever asked those questions that he asked me. Do you think you can be fair? Or do you think you could be stronger? Do you think you can be a leader through your actions?

“And also, he’s always very upfront with me. I was very lucky to be recruited by Smally and his coaches. Everything that happened with Saracens, I don’t think would have happened if it wasn’t for him and his influence on the team and the amount of knowledge that he has for rugby. So yeah, I was very grateful to be recruited by Smally,” he said.