Manu poised to trade in Red Rose for big move abroad
MANU TUILAGI insists the years of agony have been worth it as he prepares to sign off on his England career.
The centre will win his 60th, and probably last, cap tonight off the bench against France but could have had more than 150 if he had not compiled such a crippling injury list.
Tuilagi’s setbacks read like a medical dictionary with Achilles, pectoral muscle, hand, hamstring, groin and knee problems all ticked off since his Test debut in 2011. Throw in a couple of suspensions, one for assaulting police in 2015, and Tuilagi has missed way more games than he has played.
The Sale star, 32, is set to move to France or Japan at the end of the season, which would put him off limits for boss Steve Borthwick and terminate a Red Rose career highlighted by the destruction of the All Blacks in 2012 but which could have ended up more fulfilling. However, Tuilagi says he wouldn’t swap his lot for anything, despite the endless medical mishaps and long periods of rehab.
He said: “You can say it’s bad or you can say it’s a blessing. There are times when you wake up and you’re like, ‘It’s a long way’ but I always think of the love for the game, loving what you do.
“There is a light at the end of the tunnel. You just have to keep going and you’ll get there.
“I love what I do and I am so blessed to be able to do it. It is amazing.
“Life is full of ups and downs and that is what makes it so exciting.”
Even at the last World Cup, Tuilagi played through the pain after breaking his hand against Samoa.
He added: “After the game against Samoa, I knew it was broken. I said to the doctor who did the X-rays, ‘Can I play with this?.’ He said, ‘It’s up to you.’ ‘OK, cheers.’ That was it.
“Everyone knows as a rugby player, if you can play, you will. There’s no two ways about it. Luckily for me, I was able to play. It’s just pain. That’s what I tell my kids. It’s just pain.”
Skipper Jamie George was planning on getting Tuilagi to speak to the squad last night ahead of the game.
George said: “He will go down as one of the best centres to have ever played for England.
“He’s someone whose injuries have held him back from achieving some very special things. Something that is really special for me is that he doesn’t say an awful lot, but what he does say is gold.”
The England captain has vowed that there will be no repeat of his biggest career nightmare this evening.
George, 33, was part of Eddie Jones’ side humbled by South Africa in the 2019 World Cup final in Japan, having hammered the All Blacks a week before.
He said: “I learned a big lesson in 2019 after the New Zealand performance around things like emotional highs and lows.
“Last Saturday against Ireland was probably as emotional a performance as we have had since 2019.
“We believed the hype and kept living it for three or four days afterwards.
“It’s great but it can be really distracting and I’ve probably learned that the hard way. We definitely got it wrong in 2019.
“We didn’t reach the highs of the week before and what I learned is that you need to be able to give yourself the space to get away from things and reflect.”
France were rejuvenated in Sunday’s 45-24 win in Wales but England are seeking a fourth Six Nations victory for the first time since 2020.
The Red Rose were smashed 5310 by the French at Twickenham last year and George wants revenge.
He added: “We were awful. It wasn’t even just the result – France were great, France played well, played smart, but we didn’t work.” FRANCE: Barre; Penaud, Fickou, Depoortere, Bielle-Biarrey; Ramos, Le Garrec; Baille, Marchand, Atonio, Flament, Meafou, Cros, Ollivon, Alldritt. Reps: Mauvaka, Taofifenua, Colombe, Taofifenua, Roumat, Boudehent, Lucu, Moefana. ENGLAND: Furbank; Freeman, Slade, Lawrence, Daly; Ford, Mitchell; Genge, George, Cole, Itoje, Martin, Chessum, Underhill, Earl. Reps: Dan, Marler, Stuart, Roots, Dombrandt, Care, Smith, Tuilagi.