England rugby player Vunipola signs memoir with Headline

Headline has acquired world rights in a first book by Saracens player and England rugby international Billy Vunipola.

Entitled Wrecking Ball – A Big Lad From A Small Island: My Story So Far, the deal was struck by Consultant Sports Publisher Jonathan Taylor with Billy Vunipola’s management, Wasserman Media Group.

Billy Vunipola was born in Sydney to Tongan parents and moved to the UK as a child. He played for Wasps for two seasons before joining Saracens in 2013. He currently has 34 caps for England and was selected to tour New Zealand this summer with the British and Irish Lions, only to have to withdraw through injury.

Taylor said: “Billy is a rampaging and unmissable presence on the rugby field, and his awesome physicality and pulsating runs have been a joy to witness, both for his club Saracens and internationally for England. Like the man himself, Wrecking Ball is a force of nature, a wonderfully eccentric and witty book which reveals just what has gone into getting Billy to where he is today.”

Vunipola added that he was “thrilled” to be publishing his first book with Headline and “honoured” to be able to share his journey so far. “I’m really looking forward to releasing the book and to returning from injury in the autumn,” Vunipola said.

Headline will publish Wrecking Ball on 21st September, 2017.