Manu Tuilagi: Sale and England to discuss management of centre after the Six Nations
File photo dated 22-02-2022 of England's Manu Tuilagi, who has been ruled out of the Guinness Six Nations match with Wales due to a hamstring injury, the Rugby Football Union has announced. Issue date: Thursday February 24, 2022.
Sale Sharks are planning to meet with England after the Six Nations to find a management solution for Manu Tuilagi in light of his latest injury.
Tuilagi was forced to withdraw from the England starting lineup against Wales after straining his hamstring and it has left him in doubt for the game against Ireland next weekend.
Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson thinks that the England centre could potentially feature in the final clash in the competition against France.
Sanderson said he wants a joint approach with England so as to ensure the long-term fitness of Tuilagi.
Injury prone
The 30-year-old has been plagued by injury throughout his entire career and is still yet to fully recover from his torn hamstring suffered against South Africa in November.
Sanderson’s concern is not over England’s handling of Tuilagi – club and country are in close contact over his loading – but over ensuring the long-term availability of their prized asset.
“It was probably just a little bit too far, a little bit too soon. We’ve spoken to Eddie and liaised with England’s physios and S&C staff,” Sanderson said.
“We’re all on the same page and we need to catch up post-Six Nations to understand how we can potentially manage it better.
“But we’re struggling to see how we can at the moment, apart from it being too much too soon.
“You can look and delve into things and go down rabbit holes, but sometimes you can see ghosts which aren’t actually there. It’s important to understand that.
“The reason why we want to sit down together is over concern for the player. It’s not over grey areas. I just want us to be on the same page.
“There are email trails and phone calls. Everyone speaks to everyone. There are probably seven, eight or nine conversations going on at the same time. For me, it’s better just to get everyone in the same room.
“There is only one Manu Tuilagi and loads of us coaches. This is about Manu and I want him to play for England like everyone else does.”
Tuilagi’s value to England has never been more apparent than during the opening three rounds of this Six Nations when their midfield has made little impact, fly-half Marcus Smith emerging as the sole shining light.
And while frustration grows as the injuries continue to accumulate – most notably for Tuilagi himself – Sanderson refuses to adopt a gloomy outlook.
“When this happens, you have to reframe it in your own mind. What are the positives? What can I control?” he said.
“The positives are that he’ll be back in a week or two, he’s in great form, he’s positive himself.
“He’s probably in the shape of his life. He’s definitely got two or three years ahead of him, so this is just a little hurdle.
“When you reframe it like that, you start to look forward until the next year and half until the World Cup as opposed to looking back.”
When asked if Tuilagi would be better served from an extended run in Sale’s team rather than being in the England camp, Sanderson said: “In terms of his ability to improve the length of his career, yes.
“And that’s only because the intensity of training and physicality of games are less in the Premiership than for internationals.
“The physical and mental strain obviously increase in that environment. Neurologically and physically, it puts strain on you. That’s the only reason.
“Everyone wants him to play. I’m not saying that we manage him better, we just load him less.”