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Tuilagi considering his future as Sale battle to keep England centre

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

England centre Manu Tuilagi is currently considering his options as his contract with Sale Sharks comes to an end. The powerful centre – who starts against Ireland on Saturday –  has caught the attention of clubs in both France and Japan, who are reportedly willing to offer him big money deals.

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Bristol Live report that despite this interest, Tuilagi has given his current club plenty of time to make a counter offer. However, Sale Sharks are constrained by a shrinking Gallagher Premiership salary cap, which may limit their ability to match the financial packages on offer from overseas.

Sale Sharks Director of Rugby, Alex Sanderson, is hopeful that Tuilagi will choose to stay in the North West, where he has been a key player since joining the club from Leicester Tigers. Sanderson has previously spoken highly of the centre, praising his work rate and physicality on the pitch.

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“I’ve spoken to Manu and there is something on the table when before there was very little. The ball is more in his court than ours,” said Sanderson. “What Manu did, because he wants to stay, is give us as long as possible. We said there was nothing for these reasons but something could happen the longer you leave it because of the changing face of the salary cap.

“We found a way but whether it’s enough, we haven’t had that conversation yet, so the ball is shoved towards him.

“I know Manu has offers from France and Japan but him not moving on is because of his desire to stay here, which I think is commendable.”

However, it seems unlikely that Sale Sharks will be able to compete with the big money offers being made by clubs in France and Japan, so it will come down to the centre’s preference. If Tuilagi does decide to move on, he will bring an end to an entire club career that has been played in England.

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G
GrahamVF 1 hour ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

"has SA actually EVER helped to develop another union to maturity like NZ has with Japan," yes - Argentina. You obviously don't know the history of Argentinian rugby. SA were touring there on long development tours in the 1950's

We continued the Junior Bok tours to the Argentine through to the early 70's

My coach at Grey High was Giepie Wentzel who toured Argentine as a fly half. He told me about how every Argentinian rugby club has pictures of Van Heerden and Danie Craven on prominent display. Yes we have developed a nation far more than NZ has done for Japan. And BTW Sa players were playing and coaching in Japan long before the Kiwis arrived. Fourie du Preez and many others were playing there 15 years ago.


"Isaac Van Heerden's reputation as an innovative coach had spread to Argentina, and he was invited to Buenos Aires to help the Pumas prepare for their first visit to South Africa in 1965.[1][2] Despite Argentina faring badly in this tour,[2] it was the start of a long and happy relationship between Van Heerden and the Pumas. Izak van Heerden took leave from his teaching post in Durban, relocated to Argentina, learnt fluent Spanish, and would revolutionise Argentine play in the late 1960s, laying the way open for great players such as Hugo Porta.[1][2] Van Heerden virtually invented the "tight loose" form of play, an area in which the Argentines would come to excel, and which would become a hallmark of their playing style. The Pumas repaid the initial debt, by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park, and emerged as one of the better modern rugby nations, thanks largely to the talents of this Durban schoolmaster.[1]"


After the promise made by Junior Springbok manager JF Louw at the end of a 12-game tour to Argentina in 1959 – ‘I will do everything to ensure we invite you to tour our country’ – there were concerns about the strength of Argentinian rugby. South African Rugby Board president Danie Craven sent coach Izak van Heerden to help the Pumas prepare and they repaid the favour by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park.

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