England rugby star Billy Vunipola, issued with formal warning for supporting Israel Folau

Billy Vunipola has been issued with a formal warning by English rugby over his support for Israel Folau.

Australian-born England rugby international Billy Vunipola (left) has been warned for supporting Israel Folau.

England rugby star Billy Vunipola has been issued with a formal warning from the English Rugby Football Union over his support for Israel Folau.

The Australian-born English rugby player “liked” Folau’s post which has been widely condemned as homophobic, and then posted his own Instagram in support of Folau.

Folau faces the loss of his Rugby Australia contract following his most recent soical media post in which he said homosexuals were headed for hell.

Folau has been given a deadline for 2pm today to mount a defence over the post, and respond to an official breach of notice, or have his $4 million contract torn up.

“So this morning I got 3 phone calls from people telling me to “unlike” (Folau’s) post,” Vunipola’s post read, “This is my position on it … (Folau)’s saying how we live our lives needs to be closer to how God intended them to be.”

“Man was made for woman to pro create that was the goal no?”

The RFU summoned Vunipola to a meeting after his public support for the Australian rugby player.

“Following a meeting between the RFU and Billy Vunipola, the Saracens forward has been issued with a formal warning under RFU rule 5.12 for conduct prejudicial to the interests of the union of the game,” a statement from the RFU read.

“The warning will be retained on his disciplinary record for a period of five years and may be taken into account in future disciplinary proceedings,” the statement continued, “During the meeting the player expressed genuine regret at his public comments and understood that he had caused hurt and offence as a result of his actions.”

Saracens also investigated Vunipola’s comments and issued their own warning, ruling he had committed a “high-level breach of the professional players’ code of conduct” but decided against any fine or suspension.

Vunipola said he did not intend to cause harm: “It was never to cause suffering. I can see that my post has hurt people. This is deeply personal and does not represent the views of my team. My Christian faith has sustained me through the ups and many downs of my life.”