TUILAGI’S POISED TO JOIN SALE
him to get another go. His game has been forged by years and years of first-class experience, 211 matches and counting, so it seems unlikely that he is going to get much better in the remaining time he has at the top level.
And it is hard to argue that even across the 15 Tests he has played so far that there has been a steady improvement in his performances. If anything he has plateaued.
Here he made 29, one less than his overall Test average, and after a shaky start appeared to be growing in confidence in the middle.
But with plenty of time and opportunity he tamely turned the innocuous spin of Roston Chase straight into the hands of Holder to fall 10 minutes before tea, and leave his Test career hanging by a thread.
“It is not really my place to say what might happen with selection,” added Crawley. “My job is to score runs and I try to do that every time I go out and I’ll do that as long as I get the chance.
“Joe has done well in the side and it is a tough scenario. Today I went out there and tried to bat some time. All the other decisions are made by those above you.”
Holder’s intervention drew huge praise from coach Phil Simmons, who expects his side to zero in on their target today.
“It’s what he does,” said Simmons. “He comes back and puts in the big spells for the team – that’s how he leads. That’s the quality he brings.
“We need to get the final two England wickets in the morning and then bat normally to chase these runs.”
MANU TUILAGI is poised to join Sale Sharks and give his England career the kiss of life.
Leicester confirmed the Red Rose centre’s departure from Welford Road on Friday after he refused to accept a 25 per cent pay cut.
With his management enquiring about a lucrative move to France’s
Top 14, it was feared he would disqualify himself from England duty by leaving the Premiership.
But despite early denials from Sharks boss Steve Diamond, Tuilagi appears to have binned plans to cross the Channel and will instead make the far shorter trip from Leicester to Salford.
Sale declined to comment last night on a move which will hand the Premiership’s second-placed side a significant boost in their bid for a first league title since 2006.
But it is expected Tuilagi’s signing will be confirmed early this week, creating a formidable Sharks midfield partnership with Rohan Janse van Rensburg.
■■BEN YOUNGS is desperate for England to confirm their next international fixture – so he can finally escape the ‘nervous nineties’.
The most-capped back in Red Rose history was denied his century of appearances when the final round of Six Nations games was canned in March, leaving him stranded on 99.
Rugby remains in lockdown, with the Premiership not due back until August 14 and no confirmed date for the return of the international game.
“Hopefully there’s a game at some point!” said Youngs, who turns 31 in September. “We’ve no idea how the autumn is going to look.
“Soon would be nice, or I’m going to get asked the question a lot!”
Last night Youngs’ British and Irish Lions scrum-half rival Conor Murray backed the England star as a main contender to wear the No.9 jersey in next summer’s three-Test Lions series against South Africa.
Murray, who started by highlighting the Wales trio of great No.9s – Tomos Williams, Rhys Webb and Gareth Davies – added: “And then you’ve got Ben, nearing 100 caps, who had an unbelievable World Cup.”
■■With one year until the British & Irish Lions tour South Africa in
2021, watch BT Sport’s new series ‘Lions Call’ with Brian O’Driscoll on the BT Sport YouTube channel youtube.com/btsport