Manu Tuilagi treats 105kg Test forward like a human tackle bag
For a brief moment at Twickenham on Sunday, Argentina flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez ceased to be Argentina flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez, rather Manu Tuilagi’s personal tackle bag.
It came in the first half in England’s loss against the Pumas as the ball bounced backwards off England fullback Freddie Steward who was chasing a kick. The ball bounced into the arms of Gonzalez, who had been tracking back, but the only probably was that he was stationary when he collected the ball. Tuilagi, however, was not.
The Sale Sharks centre is a beastly tackler with no run-up. With ten metres to build up a head of steam, and up against a stationary opponent, he is more or less lethal. Gonzalez didn’t even see it coming as he was facing the wrong way. All in all, it made it a brutal hit.
Take a look:
BOOM!
Manu Tuilagi.#ENGvARG pic.twitter.com/T1EKDMbFMH
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) November 6, 2022
Despite coming off with what looked like an injury against the Pumas, Tuilagi has been retained in the England squad that will prepare for Japan this week.
ENGLAND SQUAD
FORWARDS
Alex Coles (Northampton Saints, 1 cap)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 38 caps)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 42 caps)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 40 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 69 caps)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 6 caps)
Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks, 16 caps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 59 caps)
Tom Pearson (London Irish, uncapped)
David Ribbans (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
Sean Robinson (Newcastle Falcons, uncapped)
Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 2 caps)
Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, 15 caps)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 53 caps)
Jack Singleton (Gloucester Rugby, 3 caps)
Hugh Tizard (Saracens, uncapped)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 65 caps)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 71 caps)
Jack Willis (Wasps, 5 caps)
BACKS
Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 13 caps)
Owen Farrell (Saracens, 98 caps)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 2 caps)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 6 caps)
Will Joseph (London Irish, 1 cap)
Max Malins (Saracens, 14 caps)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 69 caps)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 1 cap)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins, uncapped)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 43 caps)
Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 49 caps)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 14 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 14 caps)
Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 47 caps)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 4 caps)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 118 caps)
