'Rugby has gone soft', says Brian O’Driscoll

Manu Tuilagi’s citing for a dangerous tackle on Champions Cup duty has compelled his former Lions team-mate Brian O’Driscoll to complain that the “game has gone soft”.

Tuilagi faces the prospect of being banned for a minimum of two weeks immediately after making his comeback from the latest injury problem to have blighted his career.

Tuilagi has been cited for an alleged dangerous tackle on Chris Cloete in Leicester’s 25-16 defeat by Munster at Welford Road on Sunday and must appear before an independent disciplinary hearing today.