O’DRISCOLL: RUGBY HAS GONE SOFT
Lions icon slams Tuilagi citing
Manu Tuilagi was yesterday cited for a dangerous tackle, leading to his Lions team-mate Brian O’Driscoll complaining that rugby has ‘gone soft’.
Tuilagi, 26, faces being banned immediately for a minimum of two weeks. The incident occurred in his comeback match after three months out following knee surgery — the latest injury problem to blight his career.
Former Ireland captain O’Driscoll said on Twitter: ‘I think the game has gone soft if we’re picking up on marginal collisions like the Manu Tuilagi tackle he’s been cited for.’
The Leicester Tigers centre faces a disciplinary committee in London today after he allegedly tackled Munster flanker Chris Cloete high on Sunday.
Tuilagi would feel aggrieved if suspended because the hit looked innocuous. If he is found guilty, a low-end offence carries a two-week suspension while mid-range is six weeks, which would threaten Tuilagi’s Six nations selection for England.
and there was worse news for England coach Eddie Jones as Wasps stars Elliot Daly and nathan Hughes suffered u ered injuries and Ben Te’oo was ruled out for a further her six weeks, putting all ll in doubt for the start of the tournament. Daly and Hughes were taken off in Wasps’ 21-3 Champions Cup win against La Rochelle e on Sunday.
Daly, 25, has twisted ted an ankle and 26-year-ar- old Hughes has a medial knee ligament problem.
They see specialists today and will be out for at least a month. any longer — as is likely — and the England duo will miss the Six nations opener in Italy on February 4.
Wasps director of rugby Dai Young said: ‘We can safely say they are ruled out for a month, even with the best picture. It could be as much as 12 weeks if they have operations.
‘With Elliot’s ankle he will have to go through a rehab process — it is whether he needs surgical intervention. That is why he is going to the consultant.’
Te’o has not played since suffering an ankle injury in Worcester’s Challenge Cup win over Brive on October 14.
Wasps fly-half Jimmy Gopperth also injured his medial knee ligament and will see a specialist today.