Stuart Lancaster hoping Manusamoa Tuilagi is available – Rugby News Update
Stuart Lancaster, the head coach of England is confident that Manu Tuilagi, the 21-year-old England and Leicester Tigers' centre is available for selection for the tour of South Africa.
The England team travels to the southern hemisphere to play the Springboks in a three-match Test series, along with playing two other mid-week games during the tour. Lancaster is hoping that Tuilagi does not receive a citing, after the centre lifted Danny
Care off the Twickenham pitch during the final of the Aviva Premiership.
If the player is found guilty it will mean that he will miss the tour of South Africa but Lancaster is hopeful that the citing officer will let Tuilagi off, after he escaped a yellow card during the match.
"We have not heard anything. Looking at the incident I am pretty confident he will be fine but we will wait and see," Lancaster said of the Tuilagi incident.
Manu Tuilagi is the youngest of the six Tuilagi brothers of Samoan descent. He has represented England at U16s, U18s and U20s level, before playing for the Saxons and eventually earning his international debut against Wales at Twickenham, on August 6, 2011.
Besides Tuilagi, Lancaster is also hopeful that Toby Flood will regain full fitness before the tour, even though he was left out of his team’s semi-final and final squad from the Aviva Premiership clash. The Leicester fly-half is racing against time to be
included in the squad.
The head coach of England said, "Toby hurt his groin kicking prior to the game and Leicester chose not to risk him. He will turn up in camp tomorrow and we fully expect to take him on the tour."
Another concern for Lancaster is Phil Dowson, who took a bang to the head when England played the Barbarians, but it is expected that the back-row will recover in time.
Lancaster said, "Phil Dowson had a bang to the head but he is up and walking around in the changing room. We have some time before the first Test but at the moment he is looking okay.”
It is a crucial tour for England and they would want all the players to be available.
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