Manu Tuilagi
![]() Tuilagi representing England during the 2011 Rugby World Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Full name | Etuale Manusamoa Tuilagi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | (1991-05-18) 18 May 1991 (age 33) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Fogapoa, Samoa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 112 kg (247 lb; 17 st 9 lb)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | John Cleveland College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | Anitelea Tuilagi (brother) Alesana Tuilagi (brother) Henry Tuilagi (brother) Sanele Vavae Tuilagi (brother) Freddie Tuilagi (brother) Posolo Tuilagi (nephew) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Etuale Manusamoa Tuilagi (born 18 May 1991) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for Top 14 club Bayonne. Born in Samoa, he represented England at international level after qualifying on residency grounds.[2][3][4][5]
Early life
Tuilagi was born on 18 May 1991 in Fogapoa, Samoa. He is the younger brother of Freddie, Henry, Alesana, Anitelea and Sanele Vavae Tuilagi, all of whom are Samoan internationals and also played for Leicester. He has another sibling, Julie, who is fa'afafine.[6] He was named Manusamoa, after the name of the Samoan national team, Manu Samoa, because his brother Freddie was selected for Samoa at the World Cup in 1991, the year Manu was born.[7]
Tuilagi moved to the UK to join his brothers, and began playing youth rugby in 2004 with Rumney RFC while living in Cardiff, when his brother Freddie was playing for Cardiff Blues. Aged 15, he moved back to Leicester, joining the Leicester Tigers academy.
In June 2010, Tuilagi faced possible deportation from the UK after it became known that he had entered the country on a holiday visa six years earlier and had stayed on illegally.[8] After an appeal, he was later granted indefinite leave to remain.[9] He and his brother Alesana are both Catholic.[10]
Club career
Leicester Tigers
Tuilagi represented Leicester in the Middlesex Sevens at Twickenham in 2009.[2] On 6 November 2009, he played for Leicester Tigers against South Africa at Welford Road. Leicester won 22–17.[11]
Tuilagi began his first season, 2010–11, with the senior Tigers side. Tigers Director of Rugby Richard Cockerill said that he expected Tuilagi to be a first-team regular and to play for England before long.[12] During this season he started the majority of games for Tigers and was called up for England Saxons duty.[2] In Leicester's Premiership semi-final against Northampton Saints on 14 May 2011, Tuilagi received a yellow card for punching Chris Ashton.[13] Tuilagi was later cited for this offence and given a 10-week ban, later reduced to five weeks.[14]
In May 2012 Tuilagi started in the Premiership final which they lost against Harlequins to finish runners up.[15] The following season he scored a try in the 2013 Premiership final as Leicester defeated Northampton to become league champions.[16]
After injuring his hamstring in late 2014, Tuilagi did not play for the Tigers again until January 2016,[17] making his comeback off the bench in the 30–27 East Midlands derby win over Northampton Saints. He played for the rest of the 2015–16 season including their European Rugby Champions Cup semi-final elimination against Racing 92 at the City Ground.[18]
However, injury problems continued and Tuilagi was sidelined for most of the 2016–17 season with knee problems, making his comeback in the first game of the 2017–18 campaign, only to suffer a new injury to his other knee. In a bid to cure his injury problems Tuilagi visited a Samoan witch doctor in November 2017, the witch doctor claimed to have found three spirits had married Tuilagi and were causing the injuries, and massaged Tuilagi for two hours a day for four days to block the spirits.[19][20][21]
On 10 July 2020, Tuilagi left Leicester Tigers after failing to agree a reduced wage package, amid the financial challenges caused to the club by the coronavirus pandemic.[22]
Sale Sharks
On 13 July 2020, Tuilagi agreed to join Sale Sharks on a one-year deal until the end of the 2020–21 season.[23] In his first season at the club he played in the 2019–20 Premiership Rugby Cup final as Sale beat Harlequins to lift the trophy.[24] The following year saw Tuilagi sign a contract extension.[25]
In May 2022 Tuilagi scored a try in their European quarter-final elimination against Racing 92.[26] He started the 2023 Premiership final which Sale lost against Saracens to finish league runners up.[27]
Bayonne
On 19 March 2024, Tuilagi agreed to join Top 14 club Bayonne on a two-year deal until the end of the 2025–26 season.[28]
International career
Tuilagi said he would prefer to play internationally for England, where he had grown up and played all of his rugby.[29] He represented England under-18.[2] Tuilagi had been involved with the England Sevens squad and in May 2010 played for the team which won the London Floodlit Sevens, playing under the name 'Dig Deep England'.[30] In January 2011 he was selected to start for England 'A' against Italy and scored a second-half try in a match which England won 45–17.[31][32]
In June 2011 Tuilagi was named in England's training squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.[33] On 6 August 2011, he made his England Test début in the World Cup warm-up match against Wales at Twickenham.[34] As one of the starting XV, he scored a try in the 44th minute underneath the posts after an inside pass from Jonny Wilkinson.[35] He then played in the third warm-up game, a victory over Ireland, and scored again.[36] Tuilagi was included in the squad for the tournament and scored tries in pool stage victories over Georgia and Romania.[37][38] He also started in their quarter-final elimination against France.[39]
Tuilagi scored tries against Fiji and Australia during the 2012 autumn internationals.[40][41] In their last fixture of that calendar year he produced one of his strongest international performances, against World champions New Zealand. England won 38–21 in what is their largest ever winning margin over the All Blacks. Tuilagi featured in all three of England's tries.[42]
Tuilagi was named in the British & Irish Lions squad by coach Warren Gatland for their 2013 tour to Australia.[43] He started tour fixtures against Western Force, Queensland Reds and Melbourne Rebels.[44] He played in the third and last test against the Wallabies, coming on as a substitute in the 69th minute as the Lions won to complete a series win.[45]
Tuilagi returned to the England squad for the 2016 Six Nations Championship having not played for the national side due to injury and disciplinary reasons since June 2014 including missing the 2015 Rugby World Cup.[46][47] During the 2016 Six Nations tournament he appeared as a substitute in the penultimate round against Wales as England went on to complete their first Grand Slam for over a decade.[48][49] Later that year Tuilagi was ruled out of their tour of Australia due to an injury suffered in a Premiership semi-final loss against Saracens.[50] After not playing for England since the 2016 Six Nations he returned in November 2018 coming off the bench against Australia to win his twenty-seventh cap.[51]
After a string of strong performances for club team Leicester Tigers, Tuilagi was selected for the 2019 Six Nations Championship.[52] He scored two tries in the penultimate round against Italy as England ultimately finished runners up to Grand Slam winners Wales.[53] Later that year he was included in their squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and scored a try in a warm-up fixture against Ireland.[54][55] He produced their opening try of the tournament against Tonga and also scored their only try in the semi-final victory over New Zealand.[56][57] He started in the final as England were defeated by South Africa to finish runners up.[58]
Tuilagi scored a try and received a red card against Wales during the penultimate round of the 2020 Six Nations Championship.[59] England ultimately won the tournament.[60] Tuilagi was named in the squad for the 2022 autumn internationals, and played in all four games earning his fiftieth cap in a 27–13 loss to South Africa.[61]
Tuilagi was selected for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.[62] He started three of their four pool fixtures and broke his hand in the last pool match against Samoa.[63] In the knockout phase he scored his twentieth and last international try in the quarter-final victory over Fiji and started the semi-final elimination against champions South Africa.[64][65] He also started in their last fixture of the tournament as England defeated Argentina to finish third and claim a bronze medal.[66]
Tuilagi made his last appearance for England in the final game of the 2024 Six Nations Championship.[67] After the tournament he signed for Bayonne and under the RFU's current international selection policy, this would make him ineligible to represent England again and likely brings his international career to an end.[28] He finished with twenty tries in sixty appearances for England.[67]
Disciplinary issues
Tuilagi has been involved in a number of incidents that have affected his playing career.[68] In 2011, he was banned for five weeks for repeatedly punching Chris Ashton in the Premiership semi-final between Leicester and Northampton.[14]
During the 2011 World Cup, Tuilagi was fined £4,800 after wearing a sponsored mouthguard, breaking the tournament's rules. In the aftermath of England's exit from the World Cup after losing to France, he was arrested by New Zealand Police for jumping into Auckland harbour from a ferry, and was subsequently fined £3,000 by the Rugby Football Union.[69]
In September 2013, Tuilagi issued an apology to Prime Minister David Cameron after making a "bunny ears" sign behind his back during a visit by the British and Irish Lions squad to Downing Street.[70]
In May 2015, Tuilagi was convicted of assaulting two female police officers and a taxi driver, and fined £6,205. England coach Stuart Lancaster subsequently announced that Tuilagi would not be considered for selection until January 2016, thus missing the 2015 Rugby World Cup.[46]
In August 2017, after rejoining the England squad after a series of injuries, he returned to the team hotel drunk with teammate Denny Solomona, and they were sent home by coach Eddie Jones.[71] Tuilagi was not selected in England's initial squad for the 2018 Six Nations.
In March 2020, Tuilagi was sent off in a Six Nations Championship match against Wales at Twickenham, which England won 33–30, after it was deemed by the Referee, Ben O'Keeffe of New Zealand, that he had committed a no-arms tackle on the Welsh winger, George North.[59] A disciplinary panel subsequently banned Tuilagi from playing for four weeks, but he did not subsequently miss any games, owing to the coronavirus lockdown.[72]
On 18 February 2023, Tuilagi was red carded while playing for Sale Sharks against Northampton Saints in a Premiership Rugby match. In the 13th minute he was judged to have used his non-ball carrying elbow to target the throat of opposition player Tommy Freeman.[73] He subsequently received a four week ban.[74]
Career statistics
List of international tries
- As of 15 October 2023[2]
Honours
- Leicester Tigers
- 2× Premiership Rugby: 2009–10, 2012–2013[16]
- 2× Anglo-Welsh Cup: 2012, 2017
- Sale Sharks
- 1× Premiership Rugby Cup: 2019–20[24]
- 1× Premiership Rugby runner-up: 2022–2023[27]
- England
- 2× Six Nations: 2016,[49] 2020[60]
- 2× Triple Crown: 2016,[48] 2020[60]
- 1× Rugby World Cup runner-up: 2019[58]
- British & Irish Lions
- 1× British & Irish Lions series: 2013[45]
References
- ^ a b "Manu Tuilagi player profile". rugbyworldcup.com. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "Manu Tuilagi". ESPN. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
- ^ "RFU". Archived from the original on 9 May 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
- ^ "Manu Tuilagi (Centre) – Leicester Tigers". Leicester Tigers. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
- ^ McRae, Donald (2 April 2014). "Manu Tuilagi: as long as I'm in the England team I don't mind where I play". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
- ^ McRae, Donald (18 December 2012). "Manu Tuilagi at home in England after finally brushing off the mishaps". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ Bailey, Mark (25 January 2013). "Manu Tuilagi, England rugby's wrecking ball". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
- ^ "Leicester Tigers player is refused leave to stay in the UK". Leicester Mercury. 15 June 2010. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
- ^ "Rising star at Leicester Tigers wins fight against deportation". Leicester Mercury. 7 July 2010. Archived from the original on 13 July 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
- ^ Cleary, Mick (8 April 2011). "Leicester powerhouse Manu Tuilagi beat deportation threat so Leinster's Brian O'Driscoll holds no fear". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
- ^ Hands, David (7 November 2009). "South Africans forced to bow to Leicester's youth rally". London: Times Online. Retrieved 9 November 2009.
- ^ "Manu Tuilagi backed to play for England at next World Cup". Leicester Mercury. 14 August 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
- ^ "Leicester Tigers 11-3 Northampton Saints". BBC Sport. 14 May 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Leicester's Manu Tuilagi banned for punching Ashton". BBC Sport. 18 May 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
- ^ Jones, Adam (26 May 2012). "Harlequins 30-23 Leicester". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ a b Osborne, Chris (25 May 2013). "Aviva Premiership final: Leicester 37-17 Northampton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
- ^ Rees, Paul (10 January 2016). "Manu Tuilagi poised for England return after making Leicester comeback". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ Standley, James (24 April 2016). "Champions Cup: Leicester Tigers 16-19 Racing 92". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Lowe, Alex (9 November 2017). "Manu Tuilagi: A witchdoctor found three lady spirits who had married onto me". The Times. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ Nakrani, Sachin (9 November 2017). "Witch-doctor has banished my injury curse, says Manu Tuilagi". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ Coles, Ben (9 November 2017). "Manu Tuilagi: 'I saw a witchdoctor to fix the injuries hospitals cannot cure'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ "Manu Tuilagi leaves Leicester Tigers amid wage cuts". Sky Sports. 10 July 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
- ^ "Manu Tuilagi: Sale Sharks sign England centre after Leicester Tigers departure". BBC Sport. 13 July 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Premiership Rugby Cup final: Sale Sharks edge out Harlequins thanks to late comeback". BBC Sport. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ "Manu Tuilagi signs contract extension with Sale Sharks". Sale Sharks. 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ Mann, Mantej (8 May 2022). "Heineken Champions Cup: Thomas and Russell dazzle as Racing 92 beat Sale to reach semis". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ a b Hurcom, Sophie (27 May 2023). "Premiership final: Saracens 35-25 Sale - Sarries win sixth title in Twickenham thriller". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Manu Tuilagi: England centre leaving Sale Sharks to join Bayonne at end of season". BBC Sport. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ Kitson, Robert (9 November 2012). "Manu Tuilagi's road leads from Samoa to stardom with England". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Ryan, Ben (25 September 2019). "Why this World Cup is bereft of talented teenagers when once they were legion". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Gallagher, Brendan (27 January 2011). "Samoan-born Leicester Tigers centre Manu Tuilagi to make England Saxons debut against Italy A". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
- ^ "England Saxons 45-17 Italy A". BBC Sport. 29 January 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ "Matt Stevens named in England training squad". BBC Sport. 20 June 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ "Leicester centre Manu Tuilagi to make England debut". BBC Sport. 4 August 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
- ^ Palmer, Bryn (6 August 2011). "England 23-19 Wales". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Palmer, Bryn (27 August 2011). "Ireland 9-20 England". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Dirs, Ben (18 September 2011). "Rugby World Cup 2011: England 41-10 Georgia". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Dirs, Ben (24 September 2011). "Rugby World Cup 2011: England 67-3 Romania". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Fordyce, Tom (8 October 2011). "Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Fordyce, Tom (10 November 2012). "England 54-12 Fiji". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Fordyce, Tom (17 November 2012). "England 14-20 Australia". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Henson, Mike (18 November 2022). "England v New Zealand: 'Manu tore us to shreds' - inside England's sensational 2012 win". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Rees, Paul (30 April 2013). "Jonny Wilkinson turned down Lions chance, says Warren Gatland". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
- ^ Palmer, Bryn (8 June 2013). "Lions 2013: Queensland Reds 12-22 British and Irish Lions". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ a b Palmer, Bryn (6 July 2013). "British and Irish Lions thrash Australia to seal series win". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ a b Kitson, Robert (15 May 2015). "England's Manu Tuilagi to miss Rugby World Cup after assaulting police officer". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
- ^ "Six Nations 2016: Manu Tuilagi in England squad for Wales game". BBC Sport. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
- ^ a b Fordyce, Tom (12 March 2016). "Six Nations 2016: England 25-21 Wales". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ a b Fordyce, Tom (19 March 2016). "Six Nations 2016: England win Grand Slam with France victory". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ "Manu Tuilagi out of England's tour to Australia". Sky Sports. 24 May 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
- ^ "England v Australia: Manu Tuilagi says long-awaited return was 'special'". BBC Sport. 25 November 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ "Ireland v England: Manu Tuilagi starts in Six Nations opener". BBC Sport. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Fordyce, Tom (9 March 2019). "England 57-14 Italy: Eight-try England keep Six Nation title hopes alive". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Bysouth, Alex (24 August 2019). "England 57-15 Ireland: Eddie Jones' side dominate visitors in World Cup warm-up". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Jones, Chris (12 August 2019). "Rugby World Cup: England leave out Te'o, name Ludlam & McConnochie in squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Fordyce, Tom (22 September 2019). "England 35-3 Tonga: Eddie Jones' side battle to opening World Cup win". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Fordyce, Tom (26 October 2019). "England 19-7 New Zealand: Eddie Jones' side beat All Blacks to reach World Cup final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ a b Fordyce, Tom (2 November 2019). "England 12-32 South Africa: Springboks win World Cup for record-equalling third time". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ a b Fordyce, Tom (7 March 2020). "Six Nations: England beat Wales 33-30 despite Manu Tuilagi red card". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
- ^ a b c Grey, Becky (31 October 2020). "Italy 5-34 England: Visitors' victory proves enough to win Six Nations title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ "England 13-27 South Africa: Eddie Jones says defeat was 'entirely my fault'". BBC Sport. 26 November 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ "England World Cup squad: Henry Slade & Alex Dombrandt miss out, Joe Marchant & Theo Dan in". BBC Sport. 7 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Schofield, Daniel (7 November 2023). "Manu Tuilagi broke hand twice in World Cup but insists 'only a lethal injection will stop me'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Grey, Becky (15 October 2023). "England 30-24 Fiji: Owen Farrell's boot seals Rugby World Cup semi-final spot". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Henson, Mike (22 October 2023). "England 15-16 South Africa: Springboks fightback settles World Cup semi-final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ Henson, Mike (27 October 2023). "Argentina 23-26 England: England overcome Pumas to win Rugby World Cup bronze-medal match". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ a b "I will miss playing for England - Tuilagi". BBC Sport. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ^ "Crime & punishment: Manu Tuilagi adds to lengthy rap sheet". ESPN. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
- ^ "England fine Manu Tuilagi for ferry jump". BBC Sport. 9 October 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
- ^ Mairs, Gavin (16 September 2013). "Manu Tuilagi forced to apologise for playing prank on Prime Minister David Cameron in No 10 visit". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
- ^ Meagher, Gerard (7 August 2017). "Manu Tuilagi's England return in doubt after drunken night out at camp". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
- ^ "Joe Marler: England prop banned for 10 weeks for genital grab". BBC Sport. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
- ^ Dymock, Alan (18 February 2023). "Manu Tuilagi red card after 13 minutes". Rugby World. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- ^ Heagney, Liam (21 February 2023). "Out-of-favour England midfielder Manu Tuilagi banned for red card". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Manu Tuilagi at Premiership Rugby
- Manu Tuilagi at ESPNscrum
- Manu Tuilagi at ItsRugby.co.uk
- v
- t
- e
- Afa Amosa
- Paul Beltran
- Ugo Boniface
- Uzair Cassiem
- Swan Cormenier
- Jean-Baptiste de Clercq
- Maxime Delonca
- Robin Dione
- Mariano Galarza
- Baptiste Héguy
- Aitor Hourcade
- Arthur Iturria
- Mat Luamanu
- Denis Marchois
- Konstantin Mikautadze
- Jean Monribot
- Luc Mousset
- Louis Ortolan
- Matis Perchaud
- Luke Tagi
- Chris Talakai
- Filimo Taofifenua
- Tevita Tatafu
- Luka Tchelidze
- John Ulugia
- Asier Usarraga
- Rémy Baget
- Guillaume Bouche
- Theo Costossèque
- Yann David
- Arthur Duhau
- Arnaud Erbinartegaray
- Hugo Fourquet
- Gaëtan Germain
- Jean-Teiva Jacquelain
- Maxime Lafage
- Yan Lestrade
- Camille Lopez
- Maxime Machenaud
- Sireli Maqala
- Peyo Muscarditz
- Manuel Ordas
- Joe Ravouvou
- Guillaume Rouet
- Michael Ruru
- Isaia Toeava
- Shaun Venter
- Hugo Zabalza
- Grégory Patat