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'Another year with Manu is dead exciting' - Tuilagi committed to keep playing
Alex Sanderson, the Sale Sharks director of rugby, believes Manu Tuilagi still wants to play for England and has no intention of following Owen Farrell’s decision to quit international rugby.
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Tuilagi, 32, is expected to extend his stay at Sale and ensure he is available for England with negotiations still ongoing with the club over the player’s future.
George Ford, the England outside half, is also moving towards another deal to keep him in Manchester.
Farrell has opted out of playing for England to give himself and his family a break from the pressures and social media attacks that have been directed at the Saracens captain during and after the Rugby World Cup.
The impact Tuilagi, who has won 59 caps, made in the Investec Champions Cup win over Stade Francais showed the centre at his physical best and Sale will need a repeat of that form when they travel to Dublin to face Leinster at the weekend.
Sanderson paid tribute to Tuilagi’s performance after the 28-5 win over Stade Francais and despite the player’s ever expanding family of “three kids and a young one”, the appetite for test rugby remains strong.
Sanderson, who has lost Tom O’Flaherty, Dan Du Preez and Simon McIntyre for the trip to Dublin, said: “Steve Borthwick asked him (Manu) the same question and until someone says he is not physically able – his legs stop working – Manu still wants to play international rugby. Players with that kind of drive shows you where they are at. He still wants to perform at the highest level and another year with Manu is dead exciting and he is one of my favourite people.
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“It is really difficult coming in and out of the international environment and change is the biggest stress, however, Manu is not phased.
“He comes in and is just bouncy and fortunately doesn’t get a lot of bad rap in the press. He has never talked about it being too much of a burden for his long suffering wife. When you are like that and it feels fresh and energising, why wouldn’t you continue?
“I was stood in the corridor with Manu today and told him I thought he was brilliant at the weekend and when does he want to go for that steak (to talk about a new contract). That is probably going to happen in the New Year now and talk seriously about the year after next. George (Ford) says he is happy and wants to continue and we have left it at that.”
Sale have Jean-Luc du Preez available after injury to face Leinster but his twin brother Dan is out for up to a month with a knee injury with McIntyre facing a similar lay off with his knee problem.
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O’Flaherty tried to fly hack a ball at the end of the Stade game and has a grade four hamstring tear that will keep him out until after the Six Nations.
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
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