The Rugby Players Association plan to accelerate talks with Premiership Rugby and the RFU about making social media training mandatory for players in the wake of Billy Vunipola’s comments last week.
Saracens No8 Vunipola was given a formal warning by his club side and England after he “liked” a homophobic social media post by Israel Folau.
In his own Instagram message, Vunipola wrote: “Man was made for woman to pro create... that was the goal, no?”
Vunipola’s post remained on his account as of this morning and the RFU refused to comment when asked by Standard Sport whether he had been told to remove it.
The RPA provide mandatory social media training for young players and offer it to clubs on a voluntary basis for senior squads.
RPA chief executive Damian Hopley said: “Social media is becoming more and more prevalent and last week was a good example of the impact it can have.
“It [social media training] is under consideration around rolling out as a mandatory thing.
“However, what has happened this week has thrown that it into a very different light, so I am confident it will become a priority in terms of how we help players going forward.”
