Sharks can help Tuilagi fulfil Lions ambition, says Diamond
➤ Centre likes the way director of rugby ‘looks after players’ ➤ World-class recruit tipped to become a fans’ favourite
Manu Tuilagi says a single Zoom call convinced him to join Sale Sharks, the England centre identifying the way Steve Diamond “looks after players” as a chief reason for the switch.
Tuilagi arrived in Carrington on Monday and signed a year-long deal, set to take in one and a half Premiership seasons and understood to be worth £300,000.
He said the process was “pretty easy and pretty quick”, adding that he had spoken to no other suitors, and had consulted England head coach Eddie Jones. The Australian advised him to “do what is best for your family”.
Diamond, Sale’s director of rugby, stressed that regular game time for the club, second in the Premiership and on course for a first play-off appearance since winning the domestic title in 2006, would help Tuilagi fulfil his ambition of representing the British and Irish Lions in South Africa next summer. He aims for four more Sharks to feature in the Test series.
“We’ve got two massive packs of forwards and two back lines that are as big as the forwards,” Diamond said. “We’re going to be a dominant team physically. But, more importantly, the key is getting Manu 15 to 16 games for Sale.
“He hasn’t managed to do that over the years. The first thing is the care and detail – [learning to] understand his body over the next fortnight, knowing exactly what he needs, and then see when we utilise that.
“Initially he’s here for 12 months – that’s two campaigns, as I see it – and as we get to know each other we’ll have a chat about the future. Initially it’s how we get this lad playing for us on a regular basis and playing for England on a regular basis. Then the big light at the tunnel is a Lions tour in 12 months’ time.
“Hopefully we’ll have five Sale players – two from England, three for South Africa – and that’ll be job done.”
Diamond explained that his pool of first-team players, one of the smallest in the competition at just 34, was managed with a “non-contact mentality at training”.
Diamond acknowledged that he would have to monitor his roster – and particularly Tuilagi, given his injury history – through a congested fixture schedule when the Premiership resumes in midaugust, perhaps even running two squads with midweek matches in mind.
Still, with Faf de Klerk and Lood de Jager as well as Tom and Ben Curry and new signing Sam Hill among their ranks, there is enough quality for Sharks to become “a topfour side on a regular basis”.
“We are trying to emulate other clubs who have won the competition,” Diamond said. “Not just win it once and then disappear as Sale did 15 years ago.”
Tuilagi, officially released by Leicester this month after failing to agree terms for a contract extension, was tight-lipped on Tigers matters, which suggested that a legal dispute could be looming.
Yesterday morning, the 29-yearold released a statement thanking everyone at his former club for their “love and support” during an 11-year affiliation in the East Midlands.
Diamond joked that one of the tougher adjustments for his new recruit, accustomed to sell-outs at Welford Road, would be playing in Salford: “He’s used to having 24,000 people watching. Wait until he sees more pigeons than people in the stadium.”
Returning to a serious tone, Diamond said that Tuilagi could help swell attendances once lockdown rules change – because “the best marketing tool in rugby is your players”. Diamond, who is “always in the market”, is pleased with his latest addition. And he did not need to unfurl an extravagant sales pitch.
“I learnt the hard way, having no money to spend,” Diamond said.
“We often picked up bargains and lads who had been a bit mismanaged. That isn’t the case with Manu – we know he is world-class.
“I can bulls--- with the best when it comes to convincing people to join, but the reality is that these guys speak to their peers at other clubs and they tell them what it’s all about. Then they make their own mind up.”