'What he was willing to sacrifice in wages to stay here...': Sale shed light on why Manu Tuilagi was convinced to stay
Sale boss Alex Sanderson has spoken about his bromance with Manu Tuilagi which resulted in the Gallagher Premiership club convincing the England midfielder that his career was best served by staying with them for the next two years.
A deal taking Tuilagi through to 2023 at the club he signed for last July on a one-year contract was unveiled on Monday and Sanderson, who only took over the reins at the Sharks in January, gave his side of the negotiations that had happened when he fronted the club’s media session on Tuesday evening.
Having worked as an assistant at Saracens prior to succeeding Steve Diamond at Sale, Sanderson wouldn’t have known Tuilagi at all until this year. However, the Sharks medical department telling Tuilagi to go hiking to stretch out the achilles he tore last September became an opportunity for the new director of rugby to get to know the 29-year-old.
It resulted in Monday’s announcement that Tuilagi had ignored offers elsewhere and will stay in Manchester where he hopes to be back on the pitch next month to declare his fitness for the upcoming Lions tour if Warren Gatland wants to pick him.
“From my end, I like the man,” said Sanderson when asked how the Tuilagi contract renewal at Sale had come about. “We were looking at numbers and what we need as a squad and how it all fits together to stay under the (revised salary) cap and our prediction of what Manu would be offered and probably was offered wouldn’t fit those plans going forward.
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'In terms of the environment, he’s the glue in the squad'https://t.co/yBzRKRDv7q
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 19, 2021
“So I wanted to understand the man because at that moment I was looking at numbers and this was a few weeks into the current tenure. I went on a hike with him. He had been going on four-to-ten mile hikes around the Peak District to get his achilles working again so I thought what better way than going on a walk with him.
“I went stride for stride with him for three hours and fall in love isn’t too strong a word. I have got a massive bromance for the fella, a huge bromance. He is a very intelligent, multi-layered, deep person and understanding his values as a human being, what he wanted moving forward for the rest of his life and then having a few conversations around the place with other people on what they thought of him, it just seemed like a no-brainer.
“Let alone his rugby talent, don’t get me wrong, and then understanding what he gave up, what he was willing to sacrifice in wages to stay here with us was a testament to how much he wanted to be a part of this organisation moving forward, so it just made complete sense for us to keep him, look after him and get him back hopefully on the Lions, that’s the aim.
“Everyone can get more money in France,” continued Sanderson. “There is more money there, the salary cap is bigger… but from my understanding of players who have done as much as he has done, who have achieved as much as he has, who is from a quite hierarchical Samoan family that can be difficult to get him to open up, that takes time but it felt with Manu it was almost immediate.
“He just let me in from the off so we were already communicating at quite a deep level about the big stuff, important stuff, principle, values, life in general. We got to that level of communication quickly. Why did he stay for us for less? Potentially I’d like to think he feels is part of a club, a family, a brotherhood moving forward which is what we are trying to build and he feels an integral part of that.
“Like I asked the lads today [Tuesday], we were in a meeting looking at the Golden State Warriors who were immense, said to be the world’s best team ever. They had nine key principles they stuck to and one of them was what we discussed today, the team culture and team concept and it talked about everyone knowing their role from the best player to the worst player and we tried to compare ourselves to it.
“I asked a question: who here has Manu Tuilagi taught to be a barista, taught you how to make a proper cup of coffee? I’m talking about half the squad, 25 of them, he has got a part-time job here as a barista. That speaks volumes of the bloke that he is. He has got time for everyone, not just to have coffee but to teach them a little skill and that is off the field while he is injured. That is one example of the kind of glue he is around the place.”
The RFU's verdict on Jones is as popular as football's European Super League plan https://t.co/XRPtOe90la
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 20, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
“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.
9 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.
22 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.
9 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 commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to comments