I HID MY INJURY FROM THE PHYSIOS ...IT WAS STUPID
Tuilagi on mistake that nearly ruined his career
Manu Tuilagi has revealed how he almost wrecked his career by hiding an injury from team doctors for more than a month.
The England centre fell into a dark spiral after playing through the pain barrier — and self-administering strapping to his pubis.
Subsequently, Tuilagi did not start a Test for almost five years and now has one piece of advice foror his younger self: ‘listen sten to your body.’
The 28-year- old d pinpoints the start of his problems to leicester’s game against ulster in 2014, when he suffered a minor r groin tear.
‘i played five games mes with it being really painful… it was stupid,’ ’ said Tuilagi. ‘it was the start of the season in 2014. i pulled my adductor but i had no idea what an adductor felt like if you pulled it. i did it on the Thursday, played on the Saturday and strapped it up.
‘i played five games with it and the tear went higher and higher into my groin. i started strapping my pubis, which was stupid. The physio was like, “What are you doing?” i said, “Er, nothing”.
‘i guess i wasn’t honest with
the physios. You just try to take the pain. ‘in the fifth game, i got the ball in the first 20 minutes, went to accelerate and “bang”, there was a pop, a loud pop, and i just couldn’t walk. i had pretty much dislocated my pubic bone. ‘ You think, “i am never going to get injured”. Even if it hurts you think, “i will bbe all right”. That is a lesson.’ nown Tuilagi is making up for lost titime. Once dubbed the brightest prospect in world rugby, his career has been stunted by injuries and suspensions. He was banned from the 2015 World Cup but, after Ben Te’o was dropped, he will be England’s main midfield battering ram in Japan. ‘Of course, things could have been different,’ he said. ‘i ask that myself at times, but i don’t regret anything. Whatever happened there has got me here now.’ Tuilagi no longer sees himself as the invincible man. He sought help from a sports psychologist and now younger players, such as Ruaridh McConnochie, turn to him for advice on rehabilitation.
‘it’s a hard one because you don’t want to miss out on playing, but then you miss out more when you don’t deal with it,’ said Tuilagi. ‘if you hide it three or four times, maybe longer, then you’re out. i guess now i take a bit more time warming up, too.
‘Ruaridh will be back in a short period of time but i guess the most frustrating thing is that he’s missed his debut two weeks in a row. i know how he’s feeling. i said, “Keep your head, keep going and think positive”. at that moment, there’s nothing anyone can say to make you feel better, but it could always be worse.’