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'When we signed Manu I thought it was great news... we will never have to tackle him again'
AJ MacGinty cannot wait to unleash Manu Tuilagi on Gallagher Premiership leaders Bristol, but also knows he will have to try to stop English rugby’s most feared wrecking ball this summer.
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Third-placed Sale host leaders Bristol in a match that will have a significant impact on who has home advantage in the Premiership play-offs which makes Tuilagi’s return as a replacement after eight months out following an Achilles operation so important. While Tuilagi missed out on selection for the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa this summer, he can expect to be involved in England’s July test matches which includes taking on the USA Eagles at Twickenham on July 4.
Dublin-born MacGinty is the Eagles outside half and told RugbyPass: “When we signed Manu (from Leicester) I thought at that time it was great news for every No10 at Sale Sharks because we will never have to tackle him again. Now, I could be playing against him for the Eagles and so I had better get my shoulders warmed up. It’s great to have him back playing for us and I am already having a few jokes with Manu about the Fourth of July match which is a special date for everyone in the States and I have never played at Twickenham or against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium (July 10). Hopefully, with fans back in then my family can be at the Ireland match.
“Manu is just a brilliant guy, so humble and laid back. To see the way he has progressed through his rehab and how dedicated he has been to it has been an inspiration, particularly for the young guys. Despite the injury he had, Manu never came in grumpy and was always picking the lads up. To see him running in the last month has been great and the way he has maintained his weight and fitness – he is a phenomenal athlete and raring to go.
“As a back division we fancy ourselves with our physicality on top of our defensive system. It has grown throughout the season and we have been talking about Bristol about how any disconnection in defence will cause you trouble with players who have power and footwork and with Callum Sheedy pulling the strings in behind. We cannot look past the next opponent and start thinking about where we could finish. We won’t get distracted by all the noise and it is a challenging run and we are up for it against Bristol, Harlequins and Exeter.”
To prepare for an assault on the Gallagher Premiership title, Sale’s players were taken on a night time mountain march up Snowdon in North Wales under the direction of special forces experts. It was the latest idea by Alex Sanderson, the director of rugby, who is trying to challenge his squad in different ways. MacGinty enjoyed the march and the new ideas Sanderson is delivering and also has great respect for Pat Lam, the Bristol director of rugby, who coached him at Connacht.
MacGinty added: “When Pat was in Connacht it was my first year in professional rugby and we had a successful year and I was so raw. They gave me the tools to excel and I learnt so much as a No.10 about game plans from all of the staff at Connacht. I am always grateful for the opportunity they gave me and the time they invested in me.”
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The goal-kicking outside half is second in the Premiership points table with 166 and is a key figure in the 41-man initial US Eagles squad to face England and Ireland that features 10 players operating around the rugby world and 31 from the Major League Rugby franchises who are involved in the latest domestic season in America. While the USA Rugby organisation has been in and then out of bankruptcy, the MLR remains a growing brand, attracting high-profile players such as ex-England captain Chris Robshaw and Wallaby Matt Giteau.
MacGinty said: “The hope and the plan is for that league to go from strength to strength and the guys get more opportunities to play at a high level and push for places in the Eagles squad. This feels like a new beginning because we haven’t been together since the last pool match at the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
“We haven’t talked about the bankruptcy and the lads just want to get going again and I have been talking to Gary (Gold, Eagles head coach)about the summer tests and then the qualification matches for France 2023 and we want to go as America 1. We have a WhatsApp group with the Eagles and it has been great to see Titi (Lamasotole) win the European Challenge Cup with Montpellier and then David Ani’u win the Heienken Cup with Toulouse the next day .”
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments