‘His smile reminds me why we play’

Tributes paid to Tuilagi as he wins 50th cap after rocky journey

MANU TUILAGI will be warmly acclaimed at Twickenham today for belatedly earning a 50th cap — 13 years after his first encounter with the Springboks allowed him to avoid deportation as an illegal immigrant.

The 31-year-old (below) will lead out England to face the world champions for a personal landmark which has been a triumph of perseverance after so many cruel injury ordeals. But it is also a triumph for all those who fought to stop him being thrown out of the country when it was discovered he had overstayed his six-month holiday visa by six years. When Tuilagi lined up for Leicester against South Africa at Welford Road in 2009, he had been advised that immigration officials would be in attendance, ready to forcibly repatriate him to Samoa. But the rookie centre starred in a famous win, which helped his solicitor obtain a court order preventing his arrest — allowing his club and local MPs to mount a successful appeal. England forwards coach Richard Cockerill was coaching Leicester at the time. Recalling the episode, he said: ‘When I first saw him play for the first team, against South Africa when he was bowling people over at 18, you knew he was a special talent. ‘Then I found out he didn’t have a visa and might have to go home — that was a slight issue… “Why aren’t you picking him? Not really sure I can tell you…”! We had to go to the union and then we got good backing from the Government. That was 2009. He could have been playing for Samoa!’

Cockerill suggested Tuilagi’s toughness was a natural result of being the youngest of seven brothers in an iconic Pacific island rugby dynasty. ‘If you’re the youngest of that clan, you learn a hard route of growing up,’ he said. ‘He’s got a bit of edge, hasn’t he? Ask Chris Ashton.’

That was a reference to Tuilagi repeatedly punching Ashton during a derby in 2011. He has been through various other scrapes along the way, and Cockerill added: ‘There were plenty of times where you bring him in the office and go, “Mate, any chance of you behaving yourself?!”. But if you have a player with that energy and aggression, you have to look after them.’ England captain Owen Farrell paid his own emphatic tribute to a player who has remained an infectiously positive presence within the squad, despite all his injury problems, saying: ‘To have as many setbacks as he’s had and to run out in front of the team tomorrow is fantastic.

‘I take massive inspiration from him. Sometimes I look to the side and he’s got a smile on his face and it reminds me it’s a game we love playing and this is why you

do it.’