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Sale issue Tuilagi warning: 'If he gets another serious injury...'

By PA
(Photo by Bob Bradford - CameraSport via Getty Images)

Sale boss Alex Sanderson has warned that Manu Tuilagi could be just one more big injury away from the end of his career. Director of rugby Sanderson has revealed that the Sharks will continue to limit England centre Tuilagi’s appearances in a bid to end his long-running cycle of injury problems.

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Tuilagi sat out the 25-15 Sale loss to Exeter and could be absent from Saturday’s trip to Gloucester too. Boss Sanderson believes there is precious little margin for error left when it comes to Tuilagi and injuries.

“It’s part of his long-term development,” said Sanderson. “Let’s just talk about his history. For seven or eight years, he has only ever played twelve games in a season. He knows that if he gets another serious injury, that might be it. That might be his career.

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“If you fail to learn from history, you are doomed to repeat it. Even though he is really fresh now and good to go, I don’t want to be another coach in a long line of coaches who pushes him too hard so he gets re-injured at some point in the season.

“You have got to look at his past history and when he wants those games to occur, not just to keep playing him because he feels fresh. That is what has broken him every other time.

“Of course I want to play him because he is great for the team and is in good form, but this is more about him as an individual, getting him through the season and getting him fit for England because that is the dream for us both and I’m sure Eddie (Jones).”

Tuilagi had spoken some weeks ago about the lengths he went in the pre-season regarding his fitness to ensure he was primed to impress when chosen for Sale in their round one win over Bath.  

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Bull Shark 2 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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