Billy Vunipola left in tears over drunken arrest as he admits 'I don't know when to stop'

England star Billy Vunipola has given his first interview since his drunken arrest in Majorca, admitting "I don't know when to stop".

The number eight was arrested in a bar in Palma in the early hours of Sunday morning, having been tasered twice by police after what he described as an "unfortunate misunderstanding". Vunipola, who was in Majorca for a bonding trip with his Saracens team-mates, was initially alleged to have threatened people in the bar with chairs and bottles, but he has vehemently denied those allegations, saying there was "no violence [and] no fight".

After being taken to hospital, appearing in court and paying a fine of 240 euros, he flew back to the UK and has now opened up on the incident after Saracens warned him about his behaviour. In an exclusive interview with Mail Sport, he admitted that he didn't remember being asked to leave the bar, nor being tasered the first time, but expressed his embarrassment over his arrest and apologised for his actions.

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"I've been on a fair few trips, and they've always been a success," he said. "But obviously not last weekend, for me and for the club. I caused a huge amount of embarrassment and put a spotlight on the club when they were trying to do something nice for us. It's disappointing that I let what happened happen, by drinking too much. I am very sorry."

Video footage of the incident was released shortly after news of Vunipola's arrest was made public, with the topless England international seemingly laughing and smiling as he was surrounded by police in the bar. While his memory is hazy, he admitted he was taken aback by how the situation escalated.

"When the incident happened, I was in shock about how significant the response was to me taking my top off," he said. "Obviously, it's silly, but I was shocked. It looks like I'm laughing and joking, but I'm not laughing at them, or instigating anything, I was just shocked that I didn't just get pushed out (by security).

"The thing I do remember is them threatening (to call) the cops and me thinking, 'Why? I haven't done anything. Did I beat someone up?' They said, 'No, you just won't leave'. I know when I'm drunk, I don't listen to anyone. That's what it came down to; drinking way too much and not listening to what people were telling me to do."

Denying the accusations that he had threatened others in the bar with bottles and chairs, he added. "No, definitely not. I didn't do that. The issue is that I forget how big I am sometimes, in a crowded place. I saw the interview that the (bar) owner did saying I was elbowing people, but I had no intention to be threatening.

"I never touched a bottle and I never lifted a chair. If I had done, then I think that response (so many police officers) would have been required. But I was in shock because that response came from me not wanting to leave a bar."

While he did not try to justify his actions, Vunipola admitted there was a "lot of emotion" behind the trip for him, as it would be his last with his Saracens team-mates, and that led him to drink alcohol again for the first time in nearly two years. He wasn't pressured into drinking by the rest of the squad, but, as he admitted, just didn't know when to call it a day.

"My issue is just not knowing when to stop and that's probably why I stopped drinking for so long," he said. "I've never really been a casual drinker. If I drink, I get to a place where I probably forget what I did. That's the reason why I had stopped and the reason why I had a drink (last weekend) was because it was my last ever trip with the boys and I wanted to really enjoy it, but obviously I went too far."

"I'd had too much," he added. "My issue was not taking my time with my drinking. Whatever drink I had, I'd just take the ice out and get stuck into it. I realised too late that I needed to calm down."

Having been sedated and taken to hospital, before being moved to a holding cell, the guilt and embarrassment soon hit Vunipola as he had to tell his family what had happened. Reflecting on a phone call with his wife, he said: "I remember saying, 'I'm so sorry' and I started crying. I was just gutted and embarrassed. I was disappointed that I didn't just get to enjoy the time. I ruined it for myself and for everyone else."

However, the back-rower is determined to restore his reputation in time for the end of the season and wants to go out on a high with Saracens, refusing to let the incident define his 11 years at the club.

"I do silly things all the time," he said. "But [Saracens] always seem to forgive me and accept me for who I am. I think that's because they know that these things are in my personality, to kick out and rebel.

"It's hard to describe myself off the back of this, but I'm normally not like that and that's what is the most embarrassing and disappointing thing; that I let that be what defines me," he added. "Well, that's how other people will define me, but what's important is that I know it doesn't define who I am."