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Manu Tuilagi: Fighting Ashton, Auckland ferry jump, scariest brother
Sale and England midfielder Manu Tuilagi has named which of his brothers he finds the scariest and answered if he would take on Chris Ashton in a charity boxing match. He has also revisited his infamous jump into the water at Auckland harbour during the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
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Ahead of this Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership final versus Saracens at Twickenham, the recently turned 32-year-old took a BT Sport lie detector test in the company of presenter Craig Doyle and what unfolded was insightful.
Aside from answering juvenile questions such as if he ever cupped one of his farts in his hands and smelt it, does he wee in the shower at Sale and does he flex in the mirror, Tuilagi also answered more serious topics such as which sibling most frightens him.
“That would be Henry. He is massive. He has always been big, but he is big now, he has not played for a while.”
Tuilagi added that he would never beat any of his brothers in a fight before going on to admit that he would never step into the ring either with Ashton. It was May 2011 when the pair infamously clashed on the Welford Road pitch, the then 20-year-old Tuilagi winding up with a five-week ban that meant he missed that year’s Premiership final at Twickenham.
Asked if for the right price for a charity of his choice would he get into the ring with Ashton, Tuilagi replied no. He was then asked if he thought Ashton would beat him in a boxing match. “Yeah. They [Tuilagi’s biceps] are just for show.”
Doyle also quizzed Tuilagi about his other infamous 2011 incident, his leap into the sea in New Zealand when the passenger ferry he was on was nearing the terminal in Auckland. It resulted in him getting fined. Asked if he jumped off the boat as a dare, Tuilagi said: ‘Yeah.’ Who dared him was the follow-up question. “Well, I dared me. I was lucky it was only about 100 metres to swim, maybe less.”
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Tuilagi went on to admit that he monitors the number of likes his Instagram posts receive, that he has googled himself, and that he has lied to a coach about his weight.
- BT Sport is the home of the Gallagher Premiership Final. Watch Saracens vs Sale Sharks live and exclusively on BT Sport 1 from 2pm on Saturday, May 27 btsport.com/rugby
Comments on RugbyPass
This team does not beat the ABs sadly
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
3 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.
55 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.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 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.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to comments