Tuilagi set for potential England swansong

Centre may move abroad which will end England eligibility. 

England's Manu Tuilagi during a training session. Pic: Mike Egerton, PA Wire.

Manu Tuilagi is set to make his first appearance of this year’s Six Nations, and potentially his last in England colours, after being named on the bench for Saturday’s match with France in Lyon.

The 32-year-old has missed out on the four matchday squads, having come into the tournament with a groin injury that ruled him out of the opening victories against Italy and Wales. He won his 59th and most recent cap in the World Cup bronze medal match against Argentina in October, playing through the tournament with a broken hand. 

With Elliot Daly replacing the injured Immanuel Feyi-Waboso as the only change in the starting XV, Steve Borthwick has called upon Tuilagi for a place among the replacements.

Tuilagi is out of contract with Sale Sharks in the summer and has been strongly linked with a move abroad. Should he do so, it would appear to spell the end of his career with England given his age, the fact that playing outside of England makes players ineligible according to the Rugby Football Union’s regulations and how Borthwick appears to have settled on Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade as his first-choice centres.

The match against France, then, could be an England swansong for the centre who made his Test debut shortly before the 2011 World Cup and would have won countless more caps if it were not for the litany of injuries.

England arrive in France harbouring slim hopes of a first Six Nations title since 2020 and looking to capitalise if Ireland slip up against Scotland. Accordingly, Borthwick has kept changes to a minimum with Daly coming back into the side – as reported by the Guardian – after Feyi-Waboso was ruled out with concussion symptoms.

Borthwick has resisted the temptation to start Marcus Smith at fly-half after his last-gasp heroics against Ireland, instead sticking with George Ford in the No 10 jersey. The only other change to the matchday 23 is Ethan Roots on to the bench with Chandler Cunningham-South out with a calf injury.

That means Ellis Genge, the captain Jamie George and Dan Cole continue in the front row, Maro Itoje and George Martin are again at lock with Ollie Chessum, Sam Underhill and Ben Earl comprising the back-row. Alex Mitchell is at scrum-half with Lawrence and Slade continuing in midfield and the Northampton duo of Tommy Freeman and George Furbank completing the back-three alongside Daly.

On the bench, Joe Marler, Theo Dan, Will Stuart, Alex Dombrandt, Danny Care – another who could be making his final England appearance – join Roots, Smith and Tuilagi. “After such a hard-fought win against Ireland last week, we realise how important it is to back that performance up with another similar display in Lyon on Saturday,” said Borthwick.

“France remain one of the very top sides in the world, and will pose a great challenge for us. We’ve had a great preparation so far this week and there is a genuine sense of anticipation and determination around the camp as we head to what will be an exciting final weekend.” 

Borthwick’s French counterpart, Fabien Galthié, has made no changes to the team that beat Wales 45-24 in Cardiff, keeping faith with Thomas Ramos at fly-half, and Nolann Le Garrec inside him as scrum-half.

France (v England): Leo Barre; Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Nicolas Depoortere, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Thomas Ramos, Nolann Le Garrec; Cyril Baille, Julien Marchand, Uini Atonio; Thibaud Flament, Emmanuel Meafou; Francois Cros, Charles Ollivon, Gregory Alldritt).

Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, Sebastien Taofifenua, Georges-Henri Colombe, Romain Taofifenua, Alexandre Roumat, Paul Boudehent, Maxime Lucu, Yoram Moefana.

England (v France): George Furbank; Tommy Freeman, Henry Slade, Ollie Lawrence, Elliot Daly; George Ford, Alex Mitchell; Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Dan Cole; Maro Itoje, George Martin; Ollie Chessum, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl.

Replacements: Theo Dan, Joe Marler, Will Stuart, Ethan Roots, Alex Dombrandt, Danny Care, Marcus Smith, Manu Tuilagi.

Wales (v Italy): Cameron Winnett; Josh Adams, George North, Nick Tompkins, Rio Dyer; Sam Costelow, Tomos Williams; Gareth Thomas, Elliot Dee, Dillon Lewis; Dafydd Jenkins, Adam Beard; Alex Mann, Tommy Reffell, Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Kemsley Mathias, Harri O’Connor, Will Rowlands, Mackenzie Martin, Kieran Hardy, Ioan Lloyd, Mason Grady.

Italy (v Wales): Lorenzo Pani; Louis Lynagh, Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello, Monty Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Simone Ferrari; Niccolo Cannone, Federico Ruzza; Sebastian Negri, Michele Lamaro, Lorenzo Cannone.

Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Mirco Spagnolo, Giosue Zilocchi, Andrea Zambonin, Ross Vintcent, Manuel Zuliani, Martin Page-Relo, Leonardo Marin.

Guardian