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'Playing a fully-loaded international match needs building up to'
Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson warned that England must handle prized asset Manu Tuilagi’s return with care after he played the final 30 minutes of his club’s Gallagher Premiership win over Harlequins.
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The powerhouse centre returned to the fray alongside South African World Cup winner Faf De Klerk who has also endured a long injury absence.
Tuilagi’s last action came during England’s Autumn Series campaign and with the Six Nations dominating the next six weeks, his club boss has cautioned against him being thrown straight back into international rugby.
“Manu came through well but obviously playing in a fully-loaded international match from the start needs building up to,” he said.
“Manu is getting older and listening to his body more now so hopefully he will be able to handle what lies ahead.”
Sanderson was delighted that Sharks had got the monkey off their back with their first away win in the Gallagher Premiership since beating Bath in May with a convincing 36-14 win over the reigning champions Harlequins at the Stoop.
Tom Roebuck and Robert Du Preez both scored two tries, Ewan Ashman Sale’s other scorer, with AJ MacGinty adding a penalty and four conversions.
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Hugh Tizard and Tommy Allan scored Quins’ tries, with Allan converting both.
He said: “If you come down here and don’t believe in yourselves, you end up being a bit part as has happened many times in the past.
“We came down here with the intention of imposing our style of play more like a horror show than the Harlem Globetrotters.
“We’ve now won back-to-back games in the competition as we’ve now got a consistent squad and are finding a rich vein of form.
“They had a few key players missing whereas we had most of our stars back in our line-up. We are still aiming for the play-offs as I believe we are that good and should be there.”
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This could be a game changer for Eddie!#sixnationsrugby #SaleSharks #englandrugby https://t.co/8N3rE48GRi
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 6, 2022
Harlequins head coach Tabai Matson accepted his side were convincingly beaten.
He said: “They were predictably physical and we thought we had a plan in place but we were second best in all facets of the game.
“We give two early tries with piggy-backs up the field by making a number of uncharacteristic errors.
“You can’t give them a 20-point start with the power that they had coming from their bench.
“The great thing about this competition is that there is no respite and we will have to get over this result in time for Saracens next week but it was a tough lesson for us.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The 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
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 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.
10 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.
37 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
37 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 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
37 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.
37 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.
37 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.
37 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
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