England send duo home from training
Tuilagi and Denny Solomona were yesterday sent home from England’s August training camp on the grounds of “team culture issues”.
It is understood that the Leicester centre and Sale wing have been disciplined for drinking alcohol during the three-day gathering in south-west London.
“Denny Solomona and Manu Tuilagi have been sent home today from England’s training camp following team culture issues. We will not be commenting further,” a Rugby Football Union statement read.
England gathered in Teddington on Friday for the first camp of the new season to begin preparations for their autumn series against Argentina, Australia and Samoa.
Neither Tuilagi nor Solomona took part in Monday’s training session as they returned to their clubs, and head coach Eddie Jones is to decide in due course whether to take any further disciplinary action.
It is a particularly disappointing turn of events for Tuilagi, who was included in the 37-man squad as a step towards reclaiming his England place following four injury-blighted years.
The powerful 26-year-old has played just 17 minutes of Test rugby since Jones took charge in November 2015 and his last start at Twickenham was over over four years ago, his career ravaged by serious knee and groin problems.
Jones cited the manner in which Tuilagi “demolished” New Zealand in a 38-21 victory in 2012 as the reason for continuing to invest time in a player who has spent so much time in rehabilitation.
“We’re confident he’s moving in the right direction, but he’s still a hell of a long way away from playing Test rugby” Jones said on Friday.
However, Tuilagi, who was expected to be fit for the start of Leicester’s Aviva Premiership campaign, has suffered a selfinflicted setback that has placed another cloud over a career full of controversy.
olomona also faces an anxious few weeks to see if the incident has placed a doubt over his international future.
The prolific rugby league wing made a promising Test debut against Argentina in June by a scorching solo try, but he may now have slipped down the pecking order.