Manu Tuilagi admits this could be his final chance at Rugby World Cup glory
Manu Tuilagi is determined to enjoy the World Cup in Japan in belief that it will probably be his last attempt at lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy.
Eddie Jones is likely to restore Tuilagi to England’s midfield for Saturday’s crucial Pool C clash with Argentina after watching the powerful Leicester centre batter Tonga into submission 10 days ago.
At 28-years-old, the player dubbed ‘Chief’ by his team-mates doubts he will still be a force when the next global showpiece is staged in France in 2023.
When asked if has another World Cup in him, Tuilagi said: “Probably not. I’ll be too old. I feel it!
“I would say I enjoy it more now. I enjoy it more than before. I know that it’s not going to last forever, that it’s not going to last very long, so I’ve got to enjoy the moment while it is here.”
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Tuilagi endured years of injury misery, a complicated groin condition the most serious in a succession of setbacks that threatened to end his career and restricted him to two replacements appearances between 2014 and 2018.
Reintegrated back into the team carefully by Jones, he is now a major weapon in England’s bid to win the World Cup for only the second time.
And Tuilagi’s change in mindset has been instrumental to his revival with a professional approach to preparation replacing the care-free attitude that once ruled.
'I think it’s important we do that. We talk about being a really tight-knit group and that’s part of that.'https://t.co/F6nm7KHO06
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“I don’t feel like the old me and I could never be the old me again. It’s different now,” Tuilagi said.
“The old me used to just go out and play and train. Now I need to warm up for 30 minutes before I start.”
England defence coach John Mitchell believes Tuilagi is thriving because of the new approach taken to his conditioning combined with the natural maturing process.
“Chief – we call him Chief and it’s a nickname that he’s enjoyed over the year – has a real presence,” Mitchell said.
The latest ban will see one Uruguay player miss key matches against Australia and Wales. https://t.co/gNMHIIirGx
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“He looks like he has real strength and belief in us and in himself and you can feel there’s a bit of unfinished business in his mentality.
“He’s a difficult tackle for anyone and he can spook players through his defensive pressure. If he gets you man and ball it’s not that comfortable for the attack.
“He has gained belief because he is prepared really well. He has had a long pre-season and he has been specifically prepared based on himself and his previous limitations through injury.
“He’s also older now, he’s also a father and happily married so that brings responsibilities and a different maturity as well.
“He’s in a particularly good space because he is being managed well, he is being led well which then leads to his own leadership taking ownership of it.
“He is just that much older. He’s obviously been through a few rugby movies in his time and this stage doesn’t always come around.”
– Press Association
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Comments on RugbyPass
Oh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
1 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
61 Go to comments