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Manu Tuilagi 'should never be let on a rugby field again' claims ex-Irish international
By Ian Cameron
A controversial Irish rugby pundit has claimed that England centre Manu Tuilagi should 'never be let on a rugby field again' after his latest red card offence.
Tuilagi was sent off late in England's Six Nations match with Wales for a dangerous tackle and was last week given a four-week suspension.
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The committee reduced Tuilagi's six-week suspension by two weeks to take account of mitigating factors, including good conduct and immediate remorse.
England head coach Eddie Jones' defended the tackle, suggesting there was nothing Tuilagi could have done. "I just find it bizarre. I usually don’t comment, but I don’t see how you can tackle a guy,” Jones said. “You might as well just say you let him go, because how else are you supposed to tackle him? This bit about where your arms are – what a load of rubbish."
Former Ireland lock Neil Francis doesn't believe that the sanction goes far enough. Writing in the Irish Independent, Francis says Tuilagi should never be allowed return to the rugby field.
"He has had disciplinary incidents all the way through his career up to the point where he could have taken George North’s head off against Wales.
"I have watched the red-card tackle over and over and I find no comfort or mitigation in what Tuilagi did."
"The number one thought in his head was to stop George North scoring a try under any circumstances. Legal or not.
"That means that Tuilagi didn’t care about the consequences of an illegal tackle."
Francis even went as far as suggesting that North could possibly have lost his life as a result of the collision.
"North was prone for a head-to-head or shoulder-to-head and only Henry Slade’s tackle quite possibly saved his life."
The ex-Ireland lock wasn't convinced by the handshake moments later.
"Try and take someone’s head off or leave him permanently incapacitated and then nonchalantly shake hands moments later.
"Tuilagi should never be let on a rugby field again."
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Latest Comments
I didn't mean to sound down on Dmac. Just looking hard at the bench sub's role of providing impact. I don't think he can do that at 15, and the bench is not really about injury cover anymore (you need to maximise it's use more than that).
He's my first choice of any New Zealander for the 10 jersey with the All Blacks.
Go to commentsAgreed. And I don't have much more to say on it, but I had been having one thought that sprang to mind at the tail of this discussion, and that is that it's not all about Razor.
It's not about any coach being "right". I think a lot of selections can become defense and while it doesn't really apply here I really enjoyed that Andy Farrell just gave into the public demands and changed out his team for the change that had been asked for. Like why not? This is the countries team, keep them engaged. The whole reason i've only just finished watching the game was because I wasn't interested in watching any of the selected players against a team like Italy (still actually enjoyed the first half with the contest Italy made of it).
Faz leap frogs a younger half back into start. He hands the golden child the game over July's golden child. He gives an old winger a go, a new flanker and hooker. None of them really did any good, certainly not enough to suggest they should have been promoted above others, but who cares? You won, and you gave the country what they wanted, that's all that matters after all. It's for the country, not the one in charge who thinks they have to have their own pied piper tune playing.
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