Winter sunshine streaks through the windows of the room in which Billy Vunipola sits, piecing together phrases in a foreign tongue.
It is Thursday, which means his weekly French lesson. Two hours of hard graft. By his own admission progress is slower than on the rugby field.
“It’s like going back to school,” says Vunipola. “Starting over again.”
Two days ago Steve Borthwick named England‘s Six Nations squad, sparking debate about which Saracens number eight should start against Ireland.
New challenge in France
For a decade the answer was Vunipola. 75 times he wore the jersey. When he was fit and firing no-one else got a look in.
He is no longer part of the conversation. Either Ben Earl or Tom Willis will likely get the nod in Dublin. Vunipola, 32, is ineligible.
Eight months ago that was really not a problem. He had drunk too much and been tasered in a bar in Mallorca. He was fined by the Spanish authorities, admonished by the Rugby Football Union. England was off the radar.
Vunipola walked away from the Gallagher Premiership and signed a two-year deal with Montpellier – a club who, like him, had seen better times. Out of sight and out of mind, that should have been the end of the story.
Yet this month Midi Olympique, the bi-weekly bible of French rugby, published its mid-season verdict on the Top 14 imports: Les tops et flops du recruitment, as they headlined it.
Owen Farrell and Harry Williams did not come out of it well, but sitting on top of the tops was one Viliami Vunipola.
“When his signature was announced we must admit we had some doubts,” ran the citation, making mention of his “night of heavy drinking”. Those doubts, the journal insisted, were “legitimate”.
Within weeks, it continued, they were swept away. “The younger Vunipola has shown unwavering commitment and impressive consistency and quickly become one of the leaders of this Montpellier team.”
Les Cistes are up to seventh in the Top 14, they have won three in a row on the back of Vunipola’s fine form and the chastening memory of only escaping relegation last season via a play-off is fading.
“Everyone keeps telling me ‘well done, well done’,” says Vunipola. “I’m like, ‘What are you saying well done for?’ We haven’t done anything yet. We’ve given ourselves a chance, that’s all. I need to keep my head down, keep working hard.”
Vunipola has a history of highs and lows. He has previously described himself as arrogant and immature, admitted to getting ahead of himself. He wants this time to be different but knows it is not a given.
“I definitely feel the pressure,” he says.
Why, because you’re a big name, an expensive recruit, bought in to turn this club around?