Mako Vunipola says seeing kid brother Billy battered in the eye of a storm of controversy inspired Saracens to reach a fourth Champions Cup final.
The England prop’s younger sibling returned to action for the first time since being reprimanded by club and country for showing support of homophobic comments made by fallen Aussie star Israel Folau.
His appearance made him a target of Munster fans who booed him throughout - with a pitch invader running at him after the final whistle in an incident the number eight admitted was “scary”.
But it also fuelled the English champions to one of their great performances - highlighted by a man of the match try-scoring display from the player himself.
Billy Vunipola confronted by pitch invader after sending Saracens to Euro final
“I am massively proud of him,” said Mako. “He just went out there and did his bit for the team. He showed how much he cares for the players around him.
“As a brother you look out for each other. He is a big boy who can take care of himself but we spoke this week about it making us tighter. We made it about us as a team.
“You can either use it as motivation and as a group you can either grow tighter or split apart. We knew we had to do it together. The boys went out there and fought for each other.”
Billy Vunipola given formal warning by RFU after defending Israel Folau
Munster, losing their seventh consecutive Champions Cup semi-final, had no answer to the collective power brought by Saracens.
Billy led the way with 22 carries and put the cherry on the cake with his 73rd minute try created by the vision of the outstanding Owen Farrell, who also landed eight of his nine kicks at goal.
Vunipola’s post-match celebrations wound up elements of a 16,235 crowd in Coventry and were, in the circumstances, perhaps unwise.
Billy Vunipola axed by Channel 4 following support for Israel Folau
One fan took particular exception, running onto the pitch in his Munster shirt and loafers to verbally abuse him before being detained and interviewed by police, who concluded that he had not committed a criminal offence.
“The spectator has received a stadium ban from the Ricoh Arena,” said a tournament spokesman. “His details will be shared with the appropriate parties for them to consider further action.”
Vunipola later conceded he had brought unwanted scrutiny on himself and “probably hurt a lot of people” by posting on social media that ‘Man was made for woman to procreate, that was the goal no?’
Israel Folau sacked by Rugby Australia over anti-gay post
And while he claimed that it was “quite a motivating factor that people were booing me” his older brother confirmed he had felt the public backlash towards his comments.
“Anyone would, to be fair,” said Mako. “We are all humans and we all have emotions. I heard the crowd jeering him. He did well not to respond so fair play to him.”
Team boss Mark McCall looked on proudly as his players dealt with everything thrown at them to book a place in the final against Leinster in Newcastle on May 11.
Saracens deliver at home as Owen Farrell misses Euro clash to attend son's birth
“This group has been through quite a lot together and it all hasn’t been good, some of it has been difficult and some of it has been painful,” he said.
“So, they are tight, they are really tight. And the mark of a tight group is that you support your team-mates through the good times and the bad and the difficult times. That is what I have witnessed this week.”
SARACENS - Tries: Rhodes, B Vunipola. Cons: Farrell 2. Pens: Farrell 6.
MUNSTER - Try: Sweetnam. Con: Hanrahan. Pens: Bleyendaal 2, Murray.
