Tuilagi relishing chance to play Lomu imitation game

WHEN Manu Tuilagi was growing up in Samoa, he put the All Blacks on pedestals, and none were higher than the one occupied by their giant force of nature Jonah Lomu. England’s wrecking-ball centre will line up against New Zealand in Saturday’s World Cup semi-final in Yokohama, once again striving to imitate the man who transformed the sport and became a global sensation. ‘Big Jonah — I was a massive fan,’ said Tuilagi. ‘I loved the way he played. No one plays like him. He was such a legend.’ Asked if he wanted to be like Lomu, he added: ‘Yeah, you try but you don’t succeed. We always watched the All Blacks back in Samoa. It was Super 12 back in the day. We watched all the All Blacks playing in that tournament. It is exciting now to play against them.’ Tuilagi is a mellow character when he is not playing. Yesterday he spoke softly, in a measured way, about the occasion which is looming. But after all the injury setbacks, all the rehab, he is determined to savour it all. The 28-year-old was asked if he feared this day would never come and said: ‘Yeah. That’s why you’ve got to enjoy every moment. Sometimes you forget, with everything that’s going on, but this is the dream come true. ‘It’s the biggest game of our lives. We’re going against the best in the world. We’re looking forward to the challenge. If we don’t turn up, we are going home.’ Whenever England go head-to-head with the All Blacks, Tuilagi is reminded of the December day in 2012 when he scored a try and wrought havoc as the national team stunned the world champions 38-21 at Twickenham. But Tuilagi said: ‘It was a good day, but it’s not about that day now.’ Be that as it may, the All Blacks have been spooked by Tuilagi’s threat ever since — and England know it.