MAN ON THE EDGE
Tuilagi’s England career hanging by a thread after latest shameful episode
MANU TUILAGI faces a fight to save his international career after he was kicked out of England’s training camp following a night on the tiles.
The centre and wing Denny Solomona were sent home in disgrace after returning to the team hotel drunk. The pair attended a team meal on Sunday night before heading back to their digs. But they crept out again then turned up in the early hours of Monday the worse for wear. Coach Eddie Jones is said to be furious and the escapade could damage the Test futures of Tuilagi and Solomona. Leicester star Tuilagi, 26, was invited to the three-day camp in Teddington despite being out of action since January with a knee injury. And this is how he has repaid the boss. It is not the first time Tuilagi has scuppered his international chances over a night out. He missed the 2015 World Cup after assaulting two police officers during a row with a cab driver in Leicester. And in 2011 he was fined £3,000 and warned by police for diving into Auckland harbour from a ferry the day after England had been knocked out. Last week Jones said Tuilagi was worth looking after as he was potentially a world-beater for England. The Aussie has only had the centre available for 17 minutes of action since he took over in December 2015 – and that was off the bench 18 months ago. The team do not operate a curfew, but Jones is said to be furious with both players. Jones’ quick decision meant the duo missed the only proper rugby session of the get-together, although it is not clear if Tuilagi would have taken part. Maybe he will now listen to senior scrum-half Danny Care, who has had his fair share of scrapes. Care, who replaced Tuilagi at the launch of England’s new Canterbury kit yesterday, was punished for drink driving and then being drunk and disorderly in 2012. He has since cleaned up his act and offered Tuilagi and Solomona (below) the benefit of his experience. Care said: “It is something Eddie has dealt with. They have obviously breached the code of conduct the players try to live by and Eddie has made that decision. “You make one mistake and it is out there. If I can lend them any advice as an older guy who has been through similar things then I am there for them. “Everyone makes mistakes and if you make a mistake when you are an England rugby player it gets out. As players we need to understand we are role models for a lot of kids. “It shows that no one is above the law and that is the way it has been since Eddie took over. You don’t want to make any mistakes. “There is a code of conduct all the lads sign up to and if you choose to bend the rules or break them you have got to feel it.”