Nick Wells, a Saracens season ticket holder and member of the LGBT community, has said the club's reaction to Billy Vunipola's homophobic comments earlier this month has been "disappointing" and has urged the English Premiership side to do more to reaffirm their support of those affected by his statement.
Vunipola liked a post by Israel Folau which said that 'hell awaits gay people' and added his own feelings on the issue when he said: "Man was made for woman to pro create that was the goal no?"
Speaking on Friday's OTB AM, Wells admitted the reaction from the club has fallen far below what he would have expected.
"The comments initially were very disappointing," he said. "Obviously Billy Vunipola is a figurehead for the club. He's one of our biggest players, he's an England player.
"It's very disappointing as a Saracens fan to hear what he has to think about LGBT people. From the club itself, the response has been really poor.
"I don't think it would have taken much for them to reaffirm their commitment to LGBT staff and fans. They could have done a lot more to sanction Billy.
"As far as I'm aware, his post is still up on Instagram - he hasn't taken it down.
"It's really difficult because Saracens pride itself on being a family. I've been a lifelong Saracens fan. I've always felt part of that Saracens family.
"But it does stick in the throat a bit that they haven't come out with more to support LGBT fans specifically.
"They could have reaffirmed their commitment or donated money to a local LGBT charity."
Despite the comments he added: "My support for the rugby team is the same. I'm cheering just as loudly."
I don't think it would have taken much for Saracens to reaffirm their commitment to LGBT staff and fans...
Saracens' Billy Vunipola is confronted by a Munster fan after the game.Wells went on to say that he had expressed his disappointment with the club by email and that the response he received wasn't very satisfactory.
"They said they acknowledged my points, but they didn't reaffirm their commitment or apologise on behalf of Billy.
"I do slightly support the fans who have been booing Billy - the Bristol fans who booed him the weekend after he made the comments and the fans who booed him last weekend as well."
"He said [the booing] gave him that extra bit of motivation, which if he was being booed because he's a brilliant player then fine. But he's being booed because he's made comments that have upset a lot of people.
"He made some LGBT fans feel uncomfortable. He should really recognise that and not take motivation from the fact that he has caused some hurt to fans like myself.
"As Gareth Thomas said on Channel 4, we don't feel much love or support from the comments he's made in support of Israel Folau.
"He should come out and apologise, he hasn't yet apologised for the hurt he's caused.
"He said he didn't mean to and it'll only take a simple apology to acknowledge that he's hurt some fans and that he's sorry for that.
"It puts the players in a difficult position if they're asked how they feel about their own team-mate. You don't want to throw him under the bus but you also don't want to support him because you know the impact that will have on fans like myself."
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