RU star banned for WPC assaults
ONE of England’s leading rugby players has been banned from playing in the World Cup after assaulting two policewomen.
Manu Tuilagi, 23, who is 6ft 2in and more than 17 stone, pushed the two female officers hard in the chest when they tried to handcuff him during a late-night stand-off.
He also grabbed a taxi driver by the throat during the fracas in the early hours in Leicester last month.
He appeared before the city’s magistrates on Thursday and admitted assault, criminal damage and two counts of assaulting a police officer. Tuilagi, who was born on the Pacific island of Samoa, was left with fines and costs of £6,205.
Despite having injury problems this year, Tuilagi, whose club side is Leicester Tigers, was likely to have been a key player for England in the Rugby World Cup, which is taking place across England and Wales in September and October. But yesterday coach Stuart Lancaster said he was out of the squad – because players were expected to be a role model for the game.
Having been told he will not be considered again until January, Tuilagi expressed his remorse yesterday, saying: ‘I unreservedly apologise to all those involved in the incident, Leicester Tigers and England. It is something I deeply regret and I totally accept the sentence given by the court. I know as an England player the need to conduct myself as a good role model for the game.
‘I am very disappointed because my actions have let so many people down and I can only hope for a future chance to prove myself again.’
Tuilagi is understood to have informed England officials about the incident but Leicester Police kept it quiet, sending out no notification of a court case.