Even on the worst of days Manu Tuilagi never completely gave up hope. “Mentally I always think I will get back to where I was, no matter what,” he murmured on Wednesday, reflecting on the multitude of injuries that, latterly, have ruled him out of England contention. “I always think there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. I always try and play until it is impossible. Otherwise there’s no point being here.”
Inside 24 hours, the Leicester centre’s prayers were already being partially answered. An invitation to England’s mini-training camp in Bristol might be only a preliminary step back on to the representative ladder but at least it is a new beginning. It is almost six years ago that the rampaging man-boy trampled the All Blacks on one of the more rousing Twickenham occasions of modern times. Since November 2012 he has made only six further starts for his adopted country and managed just two international tries.
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Groin, cheekbone, shoulder, hamstring, knee, chest, knee again … what a depressing litany of setbacks it has been. Even his famously broad thighs are now dwarfed by the thickness of his bulging medical file. Last year he even resorted to consulting a witch doctor back home in his native Samoa, who advised that three dangerous lady spirits had attached themselves to him. Apparently they “wanted me for themselves and wanted to punish me … injuring me was the way to do it.”
Twelve months on, he now finds himself a contented new father with renewed hope of featuring at next year’s Rugby World Cup. “The witch doctor said it is done and I believe it is, too,” suggests Tuilagi, a relieved smile lighting up his bearded face.
No one in rugby – save one or two apprehensive opponents – would begrudge the big man some belated luck. Eddie Jones can go months without contacting certain fringe players but he has been messaging Tuilagi on a monthly basis, seeking updates on his recovery. More than anyone other single individual, the England coach would love to welcome back the 2012-13 version of Manu to his current squad. To date this season Tuilagi has looked encouragingly keen, if still a little rusty, but Jones – “I’ve never seen him with as much energy and acceleration since I saw him play in a video” – has already seen enough to want him in Bristol over the next few days.
Judging by his visible delight after scoring against Newcastle at Welford Road earlier this month, Tuilagi’s self-belief is also slowly returning. The Tigers’ interim head coach Geordan Murphy is not expecting an overnight resurrection but is anticipating his team will benefit from a significant midfield power surge before too long. “It’s really difficult for any player who has been out for a long period. Every game you play you get more confident. He was a little bit quieter on the weekend but he’s a tremendous asset to have. Opposition defences have to respect him.”
Quite how significantly English rugby’s recent history, not least at the 2015 World Cup, might have been reshaped by a fit, firing Tuilagi we will never know. Manu does occasionally sit down and watch matches featuring his younger self and ponder what might have been – “You have a lot of dark days” – but he has also grown much more philosophical. “Sometimes I wish I’d never got injured but whatever happens in your life you can’t change it. You’ve just got to accept it and try and learn from it. Some say it’s bad luck but everything happens for a reason.”
In Tuilagi’s case it has permitted him to enjoy more family time, with the birth of his 21-week-old daughter Leilani having helped put everything else into perspective. “Sometimes you have a bad day, go home and see your baby and think it’s not as bad. As long as she is okay that’s the most important thing. I’m loving it. Even when she wakes up at 5am, looking at her smiling and ready to start the day is amazing.” Nappy changing has not been a problem, as he was already an expert. “I’ve been changing nappies a long time – I’ve got about 20 nieces and nephews now and I used to look after a lot of them.”
Unlikely as it might sound, a new-found passion for snooker – and Ronnie O’Sullivan in particular – has also helped. Fatherhood has cut the number of hours he spends at the nearby Winchester Club (think Arthur Daley with more tattoos) but he still talks fondly about his trip with his teammate Ellis Genge to the world championship final in Sheffield.
“We went to the Crucible; it was awesome. It was Higgins against Williams in the final and Williams won. But we were disappointed that Ronnie wasn’t there so we might have to go again. I’d always liked pool but then I saw an interview with Ronnie where they asked him the difference between snooker and pool. He said it’s like playing the Open championship in golf and then playing crazy golf. He said ‘That’s as much respect as I give to pool’, which is true.”
A gloriously clean break from the recent past has to be his next objective. Jonny Wilkinson successfully emerged from a similarly grim injury trough and, with Worcester heading to the Midlands this Sunday, Tuilagi is committed to doing whatever it takes to ensure his own career has a similarly happy ending. “I’m feeling better and better after every game … I know I’ll get there. I look at Jonny, his comebacks and it gives me hope. I also look at Mathew Tait. He had exactly the same groin injury I had. It wasn’t common – it’s an injury pregnant women get when they give birth – and he’s come back. That gives me a lot of hope, too.”
And as all the best witch doctors will tell you, spectacular recoveries are more than possible if the mind is positive enough. England’s returning Tiger is not only back fit – “As long as I can run I will be all right. Pain is nothing new” – but has also had his hunger fully restored. “Sometimes when you are fit and playing you take it all for granted. And if you play a lot of games sometimes you take it for granted and go through the motions. I’ll never do that now.”