Vunipola’s move to Leicester has him playing under former international team-mate Geoff Parling – a rugby boss who will be able to relate to what the prop is trying to do as an active player aspiring to be a coach.
Parling was emerging as a first-team player at Newcastle when he took on his first coaching job at university level, then later in his career, when playing for Exeter Chiefs, he worked with the Taunton Titans.
Vunipola has waited into the twilight of his playing career before turning some of his attention to coaching, which is an undertaking that has come with a few surprises.
“It’s a teething process,” he said.
“I thought rugby was just rugby and you just turn up and it’s all the same, being a coach and a player. I had to quickly learn that it wasn’t.
“It’s been great to just be out there on the field in a different role trying learn how best I can become a coach.”
And while he does that, he says his main focus remains on delivering for Tigers on the pitch.
Vunipola was a headline signing of the summer and has so far made six appearances across all competitions for a Tigers side top of the early Prem table.
“We’re in the thick of the season and I’m just enjoying every moment as much as I can when I get the opportunity to play,” he said.
The early months of Vunipola’s time at Tigers have been dominated by what he can do as a player, but he has also got involved in Leicester’s preparations for the upcoming PWR season as part of director of women’s rugby Fraser Goatcher’s support staff.
Goatcher says he is grateful for the “extra set of hands” – especially ones that have pulled on a British and Irish Lions shirt, while some players are a little more “starstruck” by Vunipola.
“I was a pretty big fan. He doesn’t know that, but yeah it’s been pretty special,” said Tigers prop Ellie Smith.
“I grew up watching him, so having him as a coach has been a real privilege. And he has made a really big difference to my scrums.
“He has grown a lot as a coach. He was really quiet when he first came in, but now he talks all the time.
“He’s really good at speaking with us girls and I think he’s learned a lot about the girls programme that he didn’t know before.”
