The Vannes club, newly promoted to the Top 14, struck a major blow by announcing the arrival of English international pillar Mako Vunipola last Tuesday. With his 79 caps, Vunipola is a major reinforcement for the Breton team, which is participating for the first time in the French rugby elite championship.
Vunipola, 33, joins Vannes from Saracens, where he played for 13 seasons, accumulating 232 games and an impressive list of achievements. He has won five English championships (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2023) and three Champions Cups (2016, 2017, 2019) with the English club. His experience and talent make him one of the most respected and successful pillars in European rugby.
Vunipola has also enjoyed a highly successful career with the England national team, winning the Six Nations Championship three times (2016, 2017, 2020) and achieving the Grand Slam in 2016. He has also played in two World Cups (2015 and 2019) and been selected for three tours with the British and Irish Lions (2013, 2017, 2021), which is testament to his consistent level of excellence at the highest international level.
This prestigious recruitment is part of Vannes’ strategy to strengthen its first season in the Top 14. The Breton club had already announced the arrivals of winger Filipo Nakosi and second row Fabrice Metz. On the other hand, Uruguayan center Andrès Vilaseca will leave the club, leaving a place in the squad to be strengthened.
Vunipola’s arrival in Vannes is not only a media coup but also a demonstration of the ambition of the Breton club. This prestigious signing could well attract other talents and strengthen the team’s competitiveness in a championship where each match promises to be a challenge. For Vannes, Vunipola’s experience and leadership will be valuable assets to face the best teams in France and aim to stay, or even higher, in the elite of French rugby.
