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'We're struggling to see how we can manage him potentially better'

(Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Alex Sanderson has refused to write off the ambition of Manu Tuilagi to play for England in this season’s Guinness Six Nations, the Sale boss suggesting that he could be ready to return for the March 19 round five match versus France once he comes through club training safely next week. Named last Thursday morning in his country’s team to face Wales in round three of the championship, the powerhouse midfielder was scratched from the side later that same day after it emerged he had suffered a fresh hamstring issue at Pennyhill Park. 

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England had been hoping to play Tuilagi in their team for the first time since he originally injured the hamstring in the November win over the Springboks, but he was replaced in the starting line-up by Elliot Daly and he instead spent his weekend back home in Manchester. 

Rather than ask Tuilagi to come down to Bristol for this week’s three-day training camp so that they could monitor his latest injury at close quarters, England excluded the centre from the 25-man squad named on Wednesday lunchtime and it was left to Sale boss Sanderson later that evening at his club’s weekly media briefing to shed light on the latest status surrounding his player’s latest injury situation.  

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Jack Nowell, Ryan & Max on England Camp, Six Nations and Post Match Beers & Feeds | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 23

Jack Nowell joins us this week to give us an insight into England camp pre and post the Guinness Six Nations game against Wales. He tells Max and Ryan what’s changed in camp since he was last involved and how the squad is prepping for their next game against Ireland. We also hear about the best post-match feeds around the rugby world, how some of the England squad recently got trapped in a lift and just how much the guys enjoy a post-match beer in the dressing room.

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Jack Nowell, Ryan & Max on England Camp, Six Nations and Post Match Beers & Feeds | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 23

Jack Nowell joins us this week to give us an insight into England camp pre and post the Guinness Six Nations game against Wales. He tells Max and Ryan what’s changed in camp since he was last involved and how the squad is prepping for their next game against Ireland. We also hear about the best post-match feeds around the rugby world, how some of the England squad recently got trapped in a lift and just how much the guys enjoy a post-match beer in the dressing room.

“It’s probably the lightest strain you can probably get, it’s a 1A, it’s a fascial tear, there is no muscle tear there and it’s probably a little bit too far, a little bit too soon for him,” explained Sanderson on why Tuilagi pulled up lame having initially played 80 minutes across two games for Sale and then come through unscathed from a week’s training in London with England before last week’s matchweek setback. 

We have spoken to Eddie and we liaise with their physios and S&Cs and we are all on the same page and we have agreed to catch up post the Six Nations to understand how we can manage him potentially better, but we are struggling to see how we can at the moment apart from it just being too much too soon.”

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Asked if the Ireland game on March 12 was too soon for Tuilagi but he could be available for the tournament’s closing match away to France seven days later, Sanderson added: “That is the fairest estimation. He hasn’t trained yet, so he is back in training next week… That is the aim, to get him back before the end. We have learned a little lesson, though, not to push him too far too soon so we will come to that hurdle again when he is properly fit and in the right space. We will assess it at that point in time and take it week to week.”

Although not named in the official 25-man England training squad this week, Tom Curry is in Bristol working with the national team trainers and medics. Why then isn’t Tuilagi doing the same as his club colleague and also attending this England camp rather than waiting to get going again with Sale? 

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“It’s case by case always,” continued Sanderson. “Tom’s return to play from his HIA, he got a bang on the head – he was released and sent home Sunday so he has been at home Sunday, Monday and then passed his HIA yesterday [Tuesday] and went back in. That puts him ready to prep for Ireland whereas we have already said that Manu probably isn’t going to be back for Ireland.

“Where is the best place at the moment for him to be psychologically best kept and looked after? It’s with his family and with us. That makes sense after everything we have talked about. Not that we are better. We are not better at rehabbing people, we don’t have a better system in terms of our psychological aid, we certainly don’t have better coaches because they have got years and years of coaching experience. 

“It is none of that. It’s our familiarity with the athlete we are talking about, the individual we are talking about because we have worked with him for so long and got him through really tough injuries that at the moment here is the best place for him. Does that make sense? I don’t want it going out, ’Alex Sanderson said it is better for him to be at Sale’. It is better for this man to be here with us on most fronts at the moment but as soon as he is ready to train, he’ll go (back with England).”

Quizzed on how he reacted to the breaking news last Thursday that Tuilagi had suddenly been ruled out of playing for England just hours after he was named at No12 to take on Wales, Sanderson remarked: “I was gutted for him, I genuinely was gutted for him. That was my reaction. Everyone expected me to be annoyed, frustrated. I wasn’t. This is about Manu and I want him to play for England as everyone does. 

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“The frustrating fact is he is not out there playing for the country, but the encouraging thing is the injuries he is getting aren’t as severe. We seem to have a better handle on his loading for the fact that he is not breaking down with seemingly long-term injuries, so that is encouraging. When it happens you have to reframe it in your own mind as to the positives and what you can control. 

“The positives are he is going to be back in a week or two, he is in great form, he is positive himself, he is probably in the shape of the life he has definitely got two or three years ahead of him so this is just a little hurdle and once you reframe it like that you start to look forward to the next year and a half to the World Cup as opposed to looking back.”  

Would Tuilagi’s career benefit from a long run at Sale rather than being in and out with England, Sanderson replied: “In terms of his ability to improve the length of his career, yes, and that is only because the intensity of training, the physicality of games is less so in the Premiership than it is in international rugby. 

“The physical and mental strain is increased in that environment so it puts strain on you neurologically and physically. That is the only reason. Everyone in this scenario wants him to play. So yeah, I am not talking from we manage him better. We just load him less.”

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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.

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