Manu Tuilagi: England & Leicester centre may miss Six Nations
Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union
England centre Manu Tuilagi is in danger of missing the Six Nations after having surgery on his chest muscle injury, reports BBC Radio Leicester.
Tuilagi, 22, tore a pectoral muscle in Leicester's Premiership match against Newcastle in September, but was hoping to be fit by the end of November.
The Six Nations tournament begins on Saturday, 1 February.
But Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill said Tuilagi is now unlikely to return until mid-late February.
And, even if he is fit to resume training then, he still only has an outside chance of being available for the final two games of the England's Six Nations campaign - against Wales on 9 March and Italy on 15 March.
Cockerill added: "Unfortunately Manu has not been able to recover from his pectoral injury by rehab so he had surgery on Monday to repair that.
"It was the right process to go through to try and rehab it and avoid surgery. But he had a reaction right at the end of his rehab, thus he will probably be out for three months so that's obviously disappointing - and a blow."
England play France at the Stade de France on the opening weekend of the Six Nations, with fixtures against Scotland the following week, and Ireland on 22 February.
Tuilagi's injury meant he has not been available for England's trio of autumn Tests, against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand.
He has played 21 times for England since making his debut against Wales in August 2011 and featured in the final Lions Test against Australia this summer as a replacement.
England fly-half Owen Farrell told BBC Radio 5 live: "If he is out for the Six Nations, he's obviously a big player for us and we'll be gutted for him, but there are a lot of good players in this squad.
"We wish him the best of recoveries."
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umm.... I sincerely hope you are not affiliated with any healthcare profession.
The problem with having a ball playing 12 is when the FH is 10 yards behind the bloomin' gain line!!!! Until we can have a FH playing flatter we might as well go for a crash 12 (or eastmond running under everyone!).
I'm not sure how missing a brain allows you to post, but I wish you well for the future...
No team look for gifts..........Especially Wales... I want Wales to win but against world class players like Manu. I hope Manu and Jonathan Davies recover much quicker than predicted and meet on the field.
Use that phrase much do you fella? I think you'll find it's just arrogant English folk who are arrogant, not all of them ;) Maybe it' just your perception that's skewed?
Irrespective of the predictable and somewhat dull Manu-bashing, he's a massive loss. Big impact player when he gets enough of the right kind of ball.
the thing with Manu isthat even if teams try to keep him quiet it usually takes 2 people to stop him therfore creating space. What makes him great is that he does the basics consistently but then has that spark to break through at any given time which gives him the edge over other centres
'I think england will cruise the 6 nations'
And people wonder why folk think the English are arrogant.....also this thread seems to suggest that Tuilagi is 'world class'. He's a good workmanlike centre at international level, but not in the same league as Conrad Smith, Ma Nonu, JDV, BOD, JD2. the Doc etc. England have no world class backs, however you define this.
England could put out 2 or 3 teams who would give Wales a tough game!!! they would have to be massively improved from the XV we saw in Cardiff last season, talk some sense pal!
Col, the ref didn't score the tries, the Welsh lads did.
Get over it.
Sorry but I agree with 106 he is not world class (yet) he could be in a few years but not at the moment. Yes you have guessed it I am Welsh but that should not make any difference to an opinion. He will be missed by England but I don't think he would have affected this Saturday, sorry but its NZ by 10+
21 international Caps with 10 tries at the age of 22 doesn’t happen by accident.
Offer you’re opinion but get real people
I think SL has some potentially great players to pick from but so had MJ but he stuck with defensive players. I hope SL goes for attacking players.
This is the BBC Sport website.
The sport being discussed is Rugby Union.
The article features an England Rugby Player named Manu Tuilagi.
Tuilagi is not known for being a 'softy'
A tear to a Pectoral muscle that requires surgery is very serious.
Your grip of human physiology seems as lose as your general grip on reality...!
I too wish you well for the future.
Manu is only 22. He'll develop subtelty and craft. As I have bored several with already, Ma'a Nonu was seen as simply a bludgeon by many ( perhaps with justification in the early years ) but now he can switch between broadsword and rapier ( witness the deft kicking that he's developed of late ). Be patient.
Can't see why I'm giving tips...23 years in exile is beginning to tell..
There does seem to be an element who believe everything Stuart Barnes et al say about Englush rugby players.
You're right though, Tuilagi isn't anywhere near the best centre in the world. Smith, Fourie, AAC, J Davies, almost any French centre!