Manu Tuilagi’s wait for a return to Six Nations action with England will go on a bit longer
(Picture: Getty Images)Speaking at lunchtime yesterday, Eddie Jones’s joy was plain to see. He had just named Manu Tuilagi in his squad for the first time this campaign and just the 20th time in his seven seasons in charge.
Jones spoke about how Tuilagi “wins the gainline consistently”, “better than anyone else in the world when he’s at full tilt”; how “he gives us a lot of confidence because he has that physical power and when he plays the players feed off that”; and how Tuilagi is “by far our biggest back, which again gives us something a little bit different”.
He went on: “It’s handy to have a big back, because they dent the line and create space for the little guys to play small ball in that space.”
Tuilagi’s presence allowed Jones to pick the “new England” midfield he has been craving, with the silky smooth Marcus Smith and Henry Slade complemented perfectly. The return of Tuilagi and, to a lesser extent, Courtney Lawes had dominated the week’s
narrative and appeared to give England an edge on paper (where the game is not played, of course) when the teams were named. It looked an excellent side.
Tuilagi’s selection will have contributed to Jones’s confidence in declaring that England were desperate to put on a show for their fans, the last of the six nations to host a game in this Championship. England fans have been locked out of this competition for very nearly two years now.
“We’re appreciative of playing in front of 82,000 people and I’d encourage them not to leave their seats, because the game is going to be a fantastic contest between two good, tough teams and I’m sure they are going to enjoy it,” he said. “We aim to put a smile on their faces.
“If we play good rugby, the place is going to be tipping over the edge. So it’s our aim to play really good rugby and give the fans a great experience — and if you give the fans a great experience, you’ll get great support back.”
And it will have contributed to his confidence in declaring that England would make the sort of fast start they so often do when Tuilagi is about: think Dublin 2019, the World Cup semi-final inYokohama, even the victory over South Africa in the autumn.
“We want to put some pace in the game early,” he said. “We feel like there will be opportunities against Wales early in the game. Make sure you get to your seat early, because it [the action] might happen early on.”
Then, late last night, came the bombshell: Tuilagi had been ruled out, with a “low-grade” injury to the same hamstring injury that has kept him out until now.
All those words up in smoke and England’s game-plan hastily rewritten. It remains to be seen who will start in Tuilagi’s place. Slade will step one jersey inside to No12, and Joe Marchant is the natural fit at outside centre, but he has been back with Harlequins for a couple of days and was due to start for them tonight. Elliot Daly has been around all week, while Jack Nowell provides a left-field option.
Needless to say, England are back to that familiar old problem. They are used to being without Tuilagi, but that does not mean they have ever worked out how to replace him.
Centres with physical clout such as Ollie Lawrence and Mark Atkinson are not making the grade, in Jones’s eyes. And Bath’s big wing Joe Cokanasiga has struggled desperately with injury. As it is, England’s back will have to find a way around Wales, not through them. The good news for Jones is that with Lawes back and a well-balanced, hard-carrying pack, England can spread the carrying duties around.
Wales would have had to rethink their strategy, too, with England now posing a different threat. But, you sense, Wayne Pivac, Dan Biggar and their camp will fancy their chances a little more now.
