Sale are to meet with England after the Guinness Six Nations to discuss a way forward for the management of Manu Tuilagi in the wake of his latest injury breakdown.
The prospect of Tuilagi facing Ireland at Twickenham on March 12 is remote as he recovers from the minor hamstring strain that forced him to withdraw from the team against Wales just hours after being selected by Eddie Jones.
Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson believes the powerful 30-year-old centre could figure in the climax to the Six Nations at the Stade de France a week later, but once the competition is over he wants a joined-up approach to be agreed with England in the hope of avoiding any more setbacks.
Tuilagi’s career has been interrupted by long spells in the treatment room and he has yet to feature in this Six Nations having initially recovered from the torn hamstring sustained against South Africa during the autumn.
Sanderson’s concern is not over England’s handling of Tuilagi – club and country are in close contact over his loading – but over ensuring the long-term availability of their prized asset.
“It was probably just a little bit too far, a little bit too soon. We’ve spoken to Eddie and liaised with England’s physios and S&C staff,” Sanderson said.
“We’re all on the same page and we need to catch up post-Six Nations to understand how we can potentially manage it better.
“But we’re struggling to see how we can at the moment, apart from it being too much too soon.
“You can look and delve into things and go down rabbit holes, but sometimes you can see ghosts which aren’t actually there. It’s important to understand that.
“The reason why we want to sit down together is over concern for the player. It’s not over grey areas. I just want us to be on the same page.
“There are email trails and phone calls. Everyone speaks to everyone. There are probably seven, eight or nine conversations going on at the same time. For me, it’s better just to get everyone in the same room.
“There is only one Manu Tuilagi and loads of us coaches. This is about Manu and I want him to play for England like everyone else does.”
Tuilagi’s value to England has never been more apparent than during the opening three rounds of this Six Nations when their midfield has made little impact, fly-half Marcus Smith emerging as the sole shining light.
And while frustration grows as the injuries continue to accumulate – most notably for Tuilagi himself – Sanderson refuses to adopt a gloomy outlook.
“When this happens, you have to reframe it in your own mind. What are the positives? What can I control?” he said.
“The positives are that he’ll be back in a week or two, he’s in great form, he’s positive himself.
“He’s probably in the shape of his life. He’s definitely got two or three years ahead of him, so this is just a little hurdle.
“When you reframe it like that, you start to look forward until the next year and half until the World Cup as opposed to looking back.”
When asked if Tuilagi would be better served from an extended run in Sale’s team rather than being in the England camp, Sanderson said: “In terms of his ability to improve the length of his career, yes.
“And that’s only because the intensity of training and physicality of games are less in the Premiership than for internationals.
“The physical and mental strain obviously increase in that environment. Neurologically and physically, it puts strain on you. That’s the only reason.
“Everyone wants him to play. I’m not saying that we manage him better, we just load him less.”
