Tuilagi keen to stay at Sale - Sanderson
ALEX Sanderson says Manu Tuilagi is keen to stay at Sale – but admits the club face a financial fight to keep hold of him.
The centre, who is recovering from a snapped Achilles tendon, joined Sharks on a 12-month contract in July from Leicester Tigers.
Reports suggest he is being eyed by French clubs Racing 92 and Toulon.
“It (Tuilagi’s contract) is always under discussion because he is one of the world’s best players,” said Sale director of rugby Sanderson.
“And from what I can gather, he wants to stay.
“He is pretty excited at how we are building things here.
“But with being one of the world’s best players, he has a lot of offers from around the world.
“Whether we can match those is another question, we will have to wait and see.”
Sanderson is hoping Tuilagi will be back in action in around a month, as Sale continue their Gallagher Premiership title bid.
“He should be back in around four to five weeks. He hasn’t been playing, but he has been on the field,
From what I can gather, he wants to stay. He is excited at how we are building things here
Alex Sanderson
stood with me, watching how we are training,” added Sanderson.
“It shows he is getting more involved with what is going on in terms of the rugby side of things – he is getting more game ready.”
Sharks, meanwhile, face Scarlets on Sunday in the last 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup.
Sale looked dead and buried in the competition when they lost their opening two group matches to Edinburgh and Toulon. However, when the competition was curtailed due to the pandemic, the bonus points they achieved from those games were enough to sneak them into the last 16.
“We are Willy Wonka’s golden ticket in this,” said Sanderson.
“But we are not going there to make up the numbers. We are going there for a purpose, as is everyone else in the last 16 – that’s our job, to go through.”
Despite being involved in Saracens’ European adventures in recent years, Sanderson knows many of his Sale squad haven’t played at this stage of Europe’s competition before.
“This is new territory for these boys,” he said. “We have some big game players so they know the necessity to step it up in terms of intensity and physicality. But also being able to bring it down a level in terms of clarity and composure.
“It is the closest you get to international rugby against the best players and the best teams.
“What is not to get excited about, it is brilliant for the club and it is brilliant for the north, to have a presence in Europe.” biggest club