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Manu Tuilagi has added third string to his fitness fight after dabbling in hiking and salsa

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Manu Tuilagi is using a state-of-the-art anti-gravity treadmill to accelerate his return from Achilles surgery and is now expected to starting playing again for Sale Sharks at the start of May, increasing his chances of making the British and Irish Lions squad to take on South Africa.

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Tuilagi has been exploring various ways of helping his recovery, including hiking and learning to salsa, but he is now concentrating on running for the first time since injuring his leg in September last year.

The severity of the Achilles injury raised serious doubts about his ability to make it back in Sale colours before the end of this season but he is now on course to play a key role in their bid for a Premiership playoff place and that would also surely put the England centre back in the Lions selection mix.

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Eddie Jones’ thoughts after England defeated France in last weekend’s Six Nations game at Twickenham

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Eddie Jones’ thoughts after England defeated France in last weekend’s Six Nations game at Twickenham

To help Tuilagi get back on the pitch, Sale have given the midfielder a programme to follow based around the anti-gravity treadmill that allows the centre to run by reducing the pressure on his legs.

Alex Sanderson, the Sale director of rugby, said: “The specialist always gives you a minimum time and that is now about five weeks for Manu and it is looking good for him. It will be five weeks to contact and then maybe a week more to play. He is a quick healer and looks like he will be on the minimum recovery period.

“It is hi-tech what Manu is doing. You put on a pair of special pants that are really tight like shorts and then step into a bubble on the running machine that is the zipped up around you. Then it blows up and lifts you up.

“Depending on the pressure, it takes the weight off you while you are running and so there is less strain on joints. He has now done two sessions and the strength and conditioning and medical guys dovetail to help his recovery. There are a lot of markers that will have to be hit when he comes back to play and we won’t be rushing things.”

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Sale, who have had Tuilagi linked with a summer move away from the club, are also expecting to add flanker Ben Curry and strong running centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg to their squad “in the next couple of weeks”. Sanderson, though, will have to continue without their physicality when his team attempts to bounce back from defeat at Northampton when they face London Irish at the AJ Bell Stadium next Sunday.

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Easy_Duzz-it 32 minutes ago
Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?

The world never caught up the All Blacks just went backwards . After 2015 they had a plan to build the team around 2 players . Sam Cane and Beauden Barrett , Cane was hailed as the next Mccaw and Barrett the next carter . Unfortunately Cane sustained too many injures and Barrett despite being a great ball runner didn't have a high enough conversion rate or the game management skills to control the team and the game . Then to make matters worst , the selections were so bad year after year the forward pack became shockingly weak .

New Zealand had so much talent wasted betwen 2016 - 2023 . Laumape , elliot dixon , ben tamefuna , pita gus , ben lam , vaea fifita and so many other in form players that never got a look or the time to develop into great All Blacks .


Then you have the dual playmaker system that never worked , but they kept using it . why ? cause some men cant admit when they're wrong . thats the All Blacks between 2016-2023 . wrong coaches with the wrong vision , going in the wrong direction . now it appears the world caught up . but like I said the world never caught up . then you add the obvious flawed referee calls that happen to go against us more often then for us now . the worst of which that never gets called is when the opposition use rush defence but have players offside . this has been going for years , but who cares ? .


anyway its almost 10 and i need to get some shut eye .

Go the might All Blacks !!!!

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