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Manu Tuilagi linked with multiple Top 14 clubs - report

PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 27: Manu Tuilagi of England looks towards the sky as he leaves the field during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Bronze Final match between Argentina and England at Stade de France on October 27, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

With Sale Sharks centre Manu Tuilagi’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, he has inevitably found himself at the heart of plenty of transfer rumours.

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Ever since the 2019 World Cup, the 32-year-old has persistently been linked with a move to the Top 14, and Midi Olympique have reported this week that several clubs are pursuing the 112kg centre again.

Top 14 outfits Bayonne and Montpellier have reportedly already made contact with Tuilagi’s team, while Toulon are also looking for a big signing. However, Perpignan are the frontrunners to sign the 2013 British & Irish Lion, according to the report.

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Alex Sanderson on Sale Sharks’ challenging week in SA

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Alex Sanderson on Sale Sharks’ challenging week in SA

The Tuilagi family has a long history with Perpignan much in the same way it does with Leicester Tigers. Manu’s older brother Henry played for the Catalan club for almost a decade, while his son (Manu’s nephew), 19-year-old lock Posolo, is one of the rising stars not only of Perpignan, but of French rugby.

As mentioned, this is not the first time that 59-cap England international has attracted interest from abroad, and up until now his clubs have managed to stave off pursuers. Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson is again confident that they will be able to keep hold of Tuilagi for another season.

Regarding Tuilagi’s future, Sanderson recently said: “Last year was supposed to be Manu’s last year but with Jono Ross leaving and Coenie (Oosthuizen) going back (to South Africa), some money in the pot opened up. It was like, ‘Right, brilliant, we can keep you’.

“Then when he came back from the World Cup I was like, ‘Right, how are you feeling? You reckon you have got another year in you?’ I don’t know how we are going to do it still, but he is like, ‘Let’s get back on the field and go for another steak’, so we will chat over a glass of wine.

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“He is more enthusiastic, more energetic than most of the 19- and 20-year-olds we have got knocking around the place,” reckoned Sanderson. “His want and desire to play and play again in this Champions Cup on the back of the World Cup, it’s quite astonishing really because it is always the drive that goes first.

“He is loving it. He is loving playing, he is loving being out there, he is probably loving the time he gets to spend away from his house – he has just got a newly-born baby so he gets a bit of a respite. He is bouncing around today, back-slapping and high-fiving, just looking like a guy 10 years younger than he is.”

For the time being, Tuilagi is expected to miss the beginning of the Guinness Six Nations, which begins in February, due to a groin injury he picked up at the end of December.

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Sumkunn Tsadmiova 377 days ago

Dreadful signing for any T14 club. They’ll play him every week. He will inevitably get injured - probably within a very few games - then he’ll be out for the season. Awful return on investment

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JW 3 hours ago
Scott Robertson has to take charge of his All Blacks in 2025

I feel like he'd be too happy to select people from overseas and tank the ABs as a result. I mean you gotta do it to find out, but nah, I certainly don't have enough confidence in him to give him that sort of freedom.

smith 100% plays 9 and mounga 100% plays 10

Haha yep you sound like a Razor clone, run his players into the ground without developing the next gen and tanking 2027 WC as a result.


Yes, AJ Lam was that player this year.


That's when DMac is also the biggest liability. Forced to be the playmaker is the best way he can contribute being such a tiny bloke.


That was actually one of the reasons I liked the older age bracket, it attracts the youth and also gives them somewhere to go after hs, something to capitilize on, as currently it all just dies out without an immediate or obvious step. It helps to remove a bit of the seriousness as well, which can be misplaced at that age. Sure it might be older kids that look upto it but I wouldn't change hs footy at all. Agreed though, its about the only place left with that sort of tribalism so you wouldn't want to destroy it. As there wouldn't be more than a dozen university teams hs should definitely still have cause to retain it's high following.


Haha it would certainly be cool being in that particular environment with some influence. I had a mate who worked there and said it wasn't great, but that was under the guy that got kicked out. University rugby is that stepping stone you're after 😉 thank me once you're able to pay for my time and expertise!

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