England’s players and coaches have warned the Springboks to beware a fully fit and firing Manu Tuilagi in the opening Test of the autumn series at Twickenham on Saturday.
The Leicester centre has not started a Test for England since June 2014 but his teammates believe he is finally ready to make up for lost time.
Tuilagi has caused everyone to sit up and pay attention on the training field and his Leicester colleague Ben Youngs is among those predicting a big impact this weekend.
“People are getting excited about Manu being back in the squad and they are right to be excited,” the scrum‑half said. “He is a game‑changer and we all saw the damage he created the other week against the Scarlets. I think that performance has done his confidence the world of good. Everyone just watched him that night and thought: ‘He’s back.’
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“You know when you just get the sense that someone is on it? You just give the ball to him and let him go. When he’s in that mood, just let him have it. For his try there were three blokes on him but he still managed to score. Australia have got Israel Folau: a game-changer who can make something out of nothing and win you a game with the last play. Manu is that person for England.”
The England co-captain Owen Farrell has also been impressed, describing the 27-year-old Tuilagi as “unique” and “not just your typical big bloke”.
The home team, even so, know they cannot simply rely on Tuilagi alone. “We’re all talking about Manu so South Africa are probably about Manu too,” Youngs said. “We’ve got to be smart in how we use him.
“That Scarlets game was great but international rugby is different and South Africa are one of the most physical teams around. They are used to guys Manu’s size, although maybe not as powerful. He’s going to attract defenders, so we can either use him as a decoy or as a punch guy. It’s really exciting.”
The England head coach, Eddie Jones, will not confirm his lineup until Thursday, with the Northampton lock Courtney Lawes still nursing a sore lower back, but also believes Tuilagi is looking good. “Manu is getting back to his best. He’s come into the camp in really good nick, physically and mentally. He obviously brings something different and he’s pushing hard for a spot in the 23.”
The thoughts of everyone within the England camp, meanwhile, are with Leicester City following the tragic helicopter crash which killed five people, including the club’s chairman, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
“It is very sad for the city, for what he’s done for Leicester,” Tuilagi said. “All our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all the people on board the helicopter.”
Youngs also paid tribute to the Thai billionaire who gave Leicester the impetus to win the 2016 Premier League title: “He not only added to a football club but to the community around Leicester. It put Leicester on the world map.”