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'He's well primed': Tuilagi back for Sale after last week's rest

By Liam Heagney
(Photo by Bob Bradford/CameraSport via Getty Images)

Manu Tuilagi has been recalled to the Sale XV for their Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final away to Racing on Sunday but he won’t be clashing with Virimi Vakatawa in the midfield as the French club’s backline powerhouse has been benched. Skipper Henry Chavancy will instead be the inside centre directly playing opposite Tuilagi, with Gael Fickou at outside centre where he will come up against Sale No13 Robert du Preez. 

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Having starred versus Bristol in the round of 16 second leg at Ashton Gate, Tuilagi was rested from the only match his club have played since then, last week’s Gallagher Premiership win over Newcastle. 

That layoff has given Tuilagi a three-week run into this European quarter-final and Sale director Alex Sanderson can’t wait for his England midfielder to get going. “He is well primed. Manu is an English-Samoan thoroughbred. 

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“It was purely conservational on Manu’s part last week, just to keep him fresh and not risk injury and make sure his loading is up there. He is better than he would have been if he had played last week.”

Sale have also included their two South African World Cup winners, Faf de Klerk and Lood de Jager, to start along with recent England skipper Tom Curry in a game that will see Scotland’s Finn Russell stationed as the Racing orchestrator at out-half. 

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Sanderson is confident the trip to Paris is a mission possible for Sale. “Character, fortunately for me, this team have in abundance. Our chance to be able to show who we are in terms of our character is something that is highly motivating. They have shown their best qualities and played some of their best rugby when they have had their backs against the wall and gone into a hostile environment where we are the underdogs. It’s the same again.

“I don’t think Racing are the type of team that crumbles. You will get out of them in the 80th minute what you get out of them in the first. It’s down to your own resilience and resolve. Are you able to handle one of those lightning bolts they are able to chuck, this team, when it could be against the run of play or totally out of the blue?

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“How are you going to react to that? That’s the challenge for us and our ability to stay in the fight, despite what they throw at us, is going to be key and not the other way around.”

RACING: 15. Max Spring; 14. Teddy Thomas, 13. Gael Fickou, 12. Henry Chavancy (capt), 11. Juan Imhoff; 10. Finn Russell, 9. Nolann Le Garrec; 1. Hassane Kolingar, 2. Camille Chat, 3. Cedate Gomes Sa, 4. Baptiste Chouzenoux, 5. Anton Bresler, 6. Wenceslas Lauret, 7. Ibrahim Diallo, 8. Yoan Tanga. Reps: 16. Teddy Baubigny, 17. Eddy Ben Arous, 18. Trevor Nyakane, 19. Bernard Le Roux, 20. Baptiste Pesenti, 21. Maxime Machenaud, 22. Antoine Gibert, 23. Virimi Vakatawa.

SALE: 15. Luke James; 14. Thomas Roebuck, 13. Robert du Preez, 12. Manu Tuilagi, 11. Simon Hammersley; 10. AJ MacGinty, 9. Faf de Klerk; 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Akker van der Merwe, 3. Nick Schonert, 4. Jean-Luc du Preez, 5. Lood de Jager, 6. Jono Ross (capt), 7. Tom Curry, 8. Dan du Preez. Reps: 16. Ewan Ashman, 17. Simon McIntyre, 18. Coenie Oosthuizen, 19. Jacobus Wiese, 20. Ben Curry, 21. Fergus Warr, 22. Sam James, 23. Rohan Janse van Rensburg.

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Trevor 2 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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Bull Shark 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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