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'He's well primed': Tuilagi back for Sale after last week's rest

(Photo by Bob Bradford/CameraSport via Getty Images)

Manu Tuilagi has been recalled to the Sale XV for their Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final away to Racing on Sunday but he won’t be clashing with Virimi Vakatawa in the midfield as the French club’s backline powerhouse has been benched. Skipper Henry Chavancy will instead be the inside centre directly playing opposite Tuilagi, with Gael Fickou at outside centre where he will come up against Sale No13 Robert du Preez. 

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Having starred versus Bristol in the round of 16 second leg at Ashton Gate, Tuilagi was rested from the only match his club have played since then, last week’s Gallagher Premiership win over Newcastle. 

That layoff has given Tuilagi a three-week run into this European quarter-final and Sale director Alex Sanderson can’t wait for his England midfielder to get going. “He is well primed. Manu is an English-Samoan thoroughbred. 

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“It was purely conservational on Manu’s part last week, just to keep him fresh and not risk injury and make sure his loading is up there. He is better than he would have been if he had played last week.”

Sale have also included their two South African World Cup winners, Faf de Klerk and Lood de Jager, to start along with recent England skipper Tom Curry in a game that will see Scotland’s Finn Russell stationed as the Racing orchestrator at out-half. 

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Sanderson is confident the trip to Paris is a mission possible for Sale. “Character, fortunately for me, this team have in abundance. Our chance to be able to show who we are in terms of our character is something that is highly motivating. They have shown their best qualities and played some of their best rugby when they have had their backs against the wall and gone into a hostile environment where we are the underdogs. It’s the same again.

“I don’t think Racing are the type of team that crumbles. You will get out of them in the 80th minute what you get out of them in the first. It’s down to your own resilience and resolve. Are you able to handle one of those lightning bolts they are able to chuck, this team, when it could be against the run of play or totally out of the blue?

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“How are you going to react to that? That’s the challenge for us and our ability to stay in the fight, despite what they throw at us, is going to be key and not the other way around.”

RACING: 15. Max Spring; 14. Teddy Thomas, 13. Gael Fickou, 12. Henry Chavancy (capt), 11. Juan Imhoff; 10. Finn Russell, 9. Nolann Le Garrec; 1. Hassane Kolingar, 2. Camille Chat, 3. Cedate Gomes Sa, 4. Baptiste Chouzenoux, 5. Anton Bresler, 6. Wenceslas Lauret, 7. Ibrahim Diallo, 8. Yoan Tanga. Reps: 16. Teddy Baubigny, 17. Eddy Ben Arous, 18. Trevor Nyakane, 19. Bernard Le Roux, 20. Baptiste Pesenti, 21. Maxime Machenaud, 22. Antoine Gibert, 23. Virimi Vakatawa.

SALE: 15. Luke James; 14. Thomas Roebuck, 13. Robert du Preez, 12. Manu Tuilagi, 11. Simon Hammersley; 10. AJ MacGinty, 9. Faf de Klerk; 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Akker van der Merwe, 3. Nick Schonert, 4. Jean-Luc du Preez, 5. Lood de Jager, 6. Jono Ross (capt), 7. Tom Curry, 8. Dan du Preez. Reps: 16. Ewan Ashman, 17. Simon McIntyre, 18. Coenie Oosthuizen, 19. Jacobus Wiese, 20. Ben Curry, 21. Fergus Warr, 22. Sam James, 23. Rohan Janse van Rensburg.

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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