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Selected Lions star dramatically rules himself out in 'self-less' last-minute call
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'Just go on YouTube and enjoy hours of those guys hitting people'
By Liam Heagney
Dan Cole has led the plaudits ahead of a big weekend for the famed Tuilagi family, with youngest brother Manu set to play for England against Samoa, the country of his birth, for the first time.
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The 32-year-old was still a teenager when the countries last clashed at the Rugby World Cup, the English winning a France 2007 clash in Nantes 44-22 against a Samoan XV that featured Alesana and Henry Tuilagi, two of Manu’s older brothers.
Now they go at it again at France 2023 with Manu wearing the white of England, a situation that provided the backdrop for veteran tighthead Dan Cole to wax lyrical about the influence that the Tuilagi family had over the years at his club Leicester.
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“It’s been massive,” he said about the legacy of the Tuilagis ahead of Saturday’s Pool D encounter in Lille. “The way in which the six brothers have played for Leicester and performed, culturally they set the tone in the way they play the game.
“Around that period of time Alesana was the best winger in the world, Manu was coming on the scene and previously you had Henry, Freddie, we know their impact. They have been massive. They played a big part in the success of how Leicester played, and Manu has been a massive part of England since 2011 when he got capped.
“The way he plays, the way he plays on the front foot, then physicality he brings, also the deftness of the touches he brings around the field and in defence, he is a big presence as well so he is a great player for us. I know he is very excited for this weekend. It’s the first time he is playing against Samoa. He and his family are really looking forward to the occasion.
“He has overcome a lot injury-wise. Credit that he has kept going and now he is playing some of his best rugby. It’s a credit to him and the people around him they have been able to get him back to this World Cup and he is loving every minute.
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“When you first come on the scene you take a lot for granted but he and the older guys appreciate much more this stage of our careers, what we are doing and just enjoying every day. Manu enjoys every day and what he brings to the team on and off the field. He is a great guy to have in the squad and to be around. And he makes great coffee too, which is a bonus.”
Asked for insight as to how hard the Tuilagi brothers hit in the tackle, Cole quipped: “Go on YouTube, just type in their names and go watch five-minute clips of them running over people and you will find out what they are about. They have that immense physical presence.
“They are plenty (of Tuilagi tackles) I enjoy, none of them have been on me. Just go on YouTube and enjoy three hours’ worth of content of those guys hitting people and that’s your afternoon done.
“We have seen some highlights this week of Henry and Alesana. We know about the physicality but Alesana, there was one season he was unstoppable, he’d run over people, have the ability to catch, pass, offload and as a decoy runner, Manu is a similar vein. They’re fantastic players and are a fantastic part of why Leicester were successful.”
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Cole finished by assessing the maturation of Manu over the years, from a young buck making the grade at Leicester and England to now being a 30-something at Sale and for his country. “When he first played he was an outstanding talent; he burst onto the scene and was unstoppable.
“As he has got older he has matured and he has definitely embraced that role, especially being more senior. He has got a wealth of experience all over the shop playing in massive games.
“He is very level-headed and brings an appreciation of playing and the day-to-day. He had a period of his life where he wasn’t able to do that day to day, so he brings that enjoyment which we all feed off.”
Scrum coach Tom Harrison added that it still hasn’t been decided who will replace Jack Willis in the England squad ahead of their October 15 quarter-final in Marseille against most likely Fiji.
The back-rower suffered a neck issue in the September 23 pool win over Chile and Steve Borthwick confirmed on Thursday evening that Willis has left the squad and a replacement was needed. “In terms of next steps, there are many meetings going on so there is no update as current,” said Harrison.
