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'Everyone has their own pathway in life': Manu Tuilagi issues farewell message to Leicester Tigers

By Liam Heagney

14 Jul 2020

(Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)

Manu Tuilagi has issued a farewell message to Leicester Tigers fans after it was confirmed on Monday that he had joined Gallagher Premiership rivals Sale Sharks. The England and Lions midfielder was one of five players stood down at Welford Road after deciding not to agree to a permanent salary cut.

After his departure was officially confirmed by Leicester, the path was clear for Sale to make a successful approach which means that three of the five contract rebels have quickly found alternative employers.

Telusa Veainu has hooked up with Stade Francais, Noel Reid has signed for Agen, leaving Greg Bateman and Kyle Eastmond as the remaining pair who still have to sort out their future.

Crusaders’ Irish prop Oliver Jager guests on The Lockdown, the RugbyPass pandemic interview series

Tuilagi is set to conduct his first media as a Sale player on Tuesday and rather than take questions on his leaving of Leicester, he has issued a statement in advance which touches on his move from the East Midlands.

“I would like to take this opportunity to convey our thanks to everybody at Leicester Tigers for all their love and support for the past eleven years,” said Tuilagi.

EXCLUSIVE: Sale boss Steve Diamond tells @chrisjonespress about the battle to win Manu Tuilagi's signature.https://t.co/IPVCR9tlvl

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 13, 2020

“I’m very grateful for all the support and friendship from the coaches and all the staff at the club, but even more so to the remarkable supporters who make the Tigers such a unique special club! It has been an enormous honour and privilege for me and my family to be part of the history of one of the greatest rugby clubs in the world. The Tigers have always been so special to myself and my brothers for the past 20 years.

“I wish for nothing but the best for our Tigers family going forward. Everyone has their own pathway in life and I’m excited to see what the future holds.

“I’m thankful to Steve Diamond and Sale Sharks for giving me this great opportunity and I’m looking forward to playing with some world-class players here.

“Leicester Tigers will always have a special place in the hearts of the Tuilagi family. With love and best wishes to all from Manu, Chantelle and Leilani. x”

Incredible contribution by the Tuilagi family 👏
https://t.co/uFYtcnZu2R

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 10, 2020

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Comments on RugbyPass

Rob 5 minutes ago

'I never heard from Gatland... It kills me to this day'

Nothing better to do on a Tuesday?

23 Go to comments

MQ 17 minutes ago

Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?

Think we have to accept we have been on the slide for a while now.Still interesting to see the repeated media pieces about the myth of the ABs slipping-I would say slipped past tense.In part don’t we have to give credit for the improvement of other nations particularly Ireland?Isnt that good for the game?Are we beginning to feel the impact of losing the Boks from Super rugby and maybe soon TRC?I would agree we are also ran right now so will be interesting to see how we progress-assuming we do!Isnt that part of sport though to be in improvement mode?Back to the stats though I think the Boks were under 60% leading into 2019?Now with the focus on the RWC does it matter so much what you are doing between tournaments?You just get through your group(remembering the ABs qualified 2nd in 2023)and then you have 3 matches to win the thing.

2 Go to comments

GG 20 minutes ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

The ABs have more than enough back line guys so don’t see issue there. Just the balance at center and feel time for Rieko to sit out.Forwards- balance still not right. Front row ok but miss Codie. But still ok. Locks- you now need to start s a tall timber at middle of lineout- Darry is the right guy. Then move Sititi to 8, move Ardie to 7 and then move Vaai to blindside. He can become the closest to PSdT . Then have proper bench as this is not a demotion but key to dominating last 30 minutes- Patrick, Ofa etc are golden here. Get the balance right between starters and finishers

29 Go to comments

CO 29 minutes ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

Cannot wait, will be Allblacks much improved against a team that's still firing. Allblacks by a whisker.

29 Go to comments

TT 32 minutes ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

But a AB win would surprise me & would be result of the ABs transforming [in 6days?I doubt it] from the sloppy error mush of V England & Ireland being early season rusty.

29 Go to comments

TT 36 minutes ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

My ‘fantasy’ team V Ireland,

Including options from ABXV if needed, as V Munster better better prep for V Ireland than England.

The most important aspect V Ireland is AB need ALL their loosies AND 'loosie capable locks' on ALL match [except IF(?) any tiring ie the aging & slowing eg Cane]. As follows,

{starting} bench (3rd choice)

1 {De Groot} / Tu’ungafasi  (Williams)

2 { anyone that can throw!! }/ Aumua (Brodie McAlister)

Ryan! coach lineouts & Aumua to throw!

3 {Lomax}/ Tosi  (Newell )

Tosi immense strength V England  

4,5 Locks { P.Tuipulotu, S.Barrett }, Vaa’i, Darry

( Isaia Walker-Leawere)

Vaa’i off V Eng. Assumed due to leg injury(?)

6,7,8 Loose forwards { Sititi, A.Savea, Cane } Vaa’i, S.Barrettm, P.Tuipulotu back up (Devan Flanders, Du'Plessis Kirifi  )

9 {Roigard }  Ratima  ( TJ )

10 {D.McK} Perofeta ( Plummer)  

12 {J.Barrett } ALB ( Q.Tupaea )

13 {Proctor} Ioane  ( AJ Lam )

 Ioane (off V England ) but Irish experience (NO not with Sexton!)

14 { Tele’a} Reece  (bkup W.Jordan )

11 {C.Clarke} Narawa (K.Naholo)

15 {W.Jordan} Love  (Stevenson)

29 Go to comments

johnz 54 minutes ago

All Blacks talk late-game adjustments after clutch England win

I guess the other option would be to start ALB, he's looked good in the 12 so far when he starts and sets up those outside him. But that would mean putting the vice captain on the bench, which is unlikely. Another option would be to drop Reiko to the bench and play Proctor, though he's gone home so that's not going to happen either.

Both of those players just offer more of the soft distribution skills good centres learn from playing their careers there. Unfortunately that's what's lacking with the current combo.

11 Go to comments

ColinK 54 minutes ago

Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?

Whatever let's see if this load of waffle is still valid in 2 years time. ABs will rise we have a lot of new talent coming through. The NPC was the highest standard for years. The game is changing to suit the fast pace we like to play. We get to play the Springboks more, including the franchises, which will make us better! Overall I am optimistic. I will add having watched the England game multiple times we made most of the play. England are an awesome physical team, but you can expect the All Blacks to get better and better at executing the chances. It could easily have been 5 tries to one instead of 3 to 1.

2 Go to comments

johnz 1 hour ago

All Blacks talk late-game adjustments after clutch England win

Ratima did look rattled, compared to Roigard who looked like a boss when he came on. But that's been Roigard in test rugby so far. Ratima is only really starting because of Roigard's injury, otherwise surely Roigard was the incumbent. So it's not just one outing of the pine, that just points to Roigard being ready to have a start. As good as Ratima has been, Roigard just offers more.

11 Go to comments

GL 1 hour ago

How surprise opportunities led Harry Plummer to debut for All Blacks

Cody Taylor is a more significant loss than BB, not even close!

1 Go to comments

JD 1 hour ago

'I never heard from Gatland... It kills me to this day'

Won't see a player like him nor, hopefully, an arsehole like him either. Odious kant.

23 Go to comments

CO 2 hours ago

Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I agree largely and I rate McKenzie as a wonderful utility at his best but now at twenty nine I wouldn't take him to the next world cup. I've never seen him as a a ten or a starter either at top tier test level. The bench needs a serious rethink with ideally a hybrid halfback/wing or a hybrid halfback/ten or a hybrid ten/centre to release that need for two relatively small guys on the bench.

32 Go to comments

RW 2 hours ago

“He’s given Connacht everything” – Bundee Aki’s future, and an exciting tactical innovation

Starting a go fund me for Bundee to Leinster 😜

3 Go to comments

CO 2 hours ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

Unbelievable, the penalty count was so lopsided in last week's first half I'm certain the conspiracy theorists have already had a field day.

29 Go to comments

JWH 2 hours ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

Good idea, but to move a lock to 6 now with no previous experience save Scott Barrett (who is still our best lock) ahead of the 2nd best equal team in the world may cause more harm than good in terms of confidence, in both caoches and players.

Re lineout options, the ABs have the most innovative lineout in the world, with FOUR lineout options (Barrett, Vaai, Sititi, Savea), compared to Irelands maybe 2 (Beirne and Ryan). ABs will absolutely cause issues at the lineout, and definitely at scrum time. Those Irish props eat to much salad compared to our boys 💪

29 Go to comments

JWH 2 hours ago

Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I never said boring was bad, but it doesn't necessarily go hand in hand with the ABs style. The ABs 10 looks like this: a little magic, good offloads, tactical precision kicking, draw and pass, and a cool head to level it off.

A game manager isn't exactly necessary, as the ABs should all know what they are doing, and the 9 should be directing the forwards. However, considering the youth of our best 9s currently, a more vocal, directive, and logical player like Harry Plummer would make more sense than someone like DMac, who is in his own right a good 10, but tends to sit in wider channels where he can threaten the line more directly, so has less influence on the postioning of the narrower forwards.

32 Go to comments

Kia koe 2 hours ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

Yep yep I agree

29 Go to comments

Icefarrow 2 hours ago

The ‘unsung hero’ who helped All Blacks’ bench make a telling difference

B-but all the armchair critics tell me he's useless and does little for the team but get penalised... This simply cannot be!

2 Go to comments

Thomas K 2 hours ago

England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

So you think you’d definitely have scored way more tries if it wasn’t for all the off the ball shots? 🤣🤣