QUICKFIRE WITH DICK ROUND BEST

DICK BEST, the former England coach who is no stranger to life on the other side of the Channel, or to the rugby transfer market in his role representing Sir Ian McGeechan, says that if Manu Tuilagi accepts Racing’s offer it could be a mixed blessing. Here Best, above, gives his take on the Tuilagi transfer conundrum:

To go or not to go...

“The timing is perfect for Manu Tuilagi, but I’m not sure whether it is for Racing. His injury record could be a worry, and the same applies to all that French food and bread.”

Why it could get heavy...

“When I was doing TV commentary in France I used to spend some time with Isitolo Maka, below, the former All Black No.8 who joined Toulouse. It is one of the gourmet capitals of France, but he told me that he made an 18 mile pilgrimage every Sunday with his family to the nearest Kentucky Fried Chicken to buy a few buckets. He was 20 stone, and when I look at Manu he could get pretty heavy if he isn’t careful.”

Timing is everything...

“What Racing are offering is a chance for Tuilagi to make enough money to set himself up for life, and it’s rare that players get that opportunity. Timing is everything, and after the 2019 World Cup it’s right for him.”

Getting in shape...

“He’s eased his way back into it during the Six Nations, and although he still looks about a stone overweight, he is getting fit again – and if he is properly fit by the World Cup he could be very dangerous.”

Hammer of the All Blacks...

“He frightened the All Blacks in 2012 with that performance when he almost beat them single-handed, and that is not easy to do because they are used to big Polynesians.”

Twice the threat of Te’o...

“What he has is a fear factor which arrests defenders because of his reputation. No defender can go drifting, and because the threat is always there he is creating space for everyone else around him. His threat is probably twice that of Ben Te’o, left. If you give him the ball five metres out he will almost always run over someone to score.”

Will Manu go Gallic...?

“The big question is whether he will remain at his fighting weight in France, or whether he will put on two stone in two years. The French side at Twickenham was one of the worst I’ve seen, and they were so unfit they were blowing out of their backsides after 30 minutes. I knew it would be a cricket score...they were walking, or at best trudging, while England beat them to the breakdown all the time.”