Tuilagi suffers new injury blow as Jones forced into rethink for Six Nations clash
MANU TUILAGI has been ruled out of England’s Guinness Six Nations clash against Wales with a hamstring injury.
Tuilagi had been due to make his first start in the competition in almost two years after completing his recovery from a torn hamstring.
However, England revealed late on Thursday that a scan had uncovered a “low grade” issue.
Joe Marchant has been recalled and will train with the squad on Friday, while an updated team will be confirmed on Saturday.
The news will come as a blow to head coach Eddie Jones, who earlier on Thursday insisted England have added an “edge to the team” after recalling Tuilagi and Courtney Lawes.
Lawes has been sidelined for over a month because of concussion but is immediately restored to the back row, in the process relieving Tom Curry of the captaincy.
“Courtney is a great ballcarrier and destructive defender,” said Jones. “Courtney was going to be captain when Owen Farrell was unavailable, so it’s a natural change back to the guy who was going to be captain.
“He has good skills around the players. When he speaks they listen, he leads by example.
“We’re really pleased with the job Tom Curry did. He did an outstanding job as a young captain and he’s going to be an outstanding leadership prospect in the future.”
Ben Youngs can become England’s most-capped player on Saturday, surpassing Jason Leonard’s landmark of 114, but the achievement must be reached as a replacement for Harry Randall.
Randall impressed in the fivetry rout of Italy in round two to the point that, for now at least, he has been elevated above Youngs in the scrum-half pecking order.
“We want to put some pace in the game early. We feel like there will be opportunities against Wales early in the game and Harry each week has been in increasingly better form,” Jones said.
“He’s sharp around the ruck, gives us that instinctiveness with his ability to take quick taps and run quickly. And then we have Ben Youngs to finish the game.
“These games go to the wire, it’s like a built-in narrative, and
imagine having a half-back with 114 caps in the best form of his career coming on to manage that last 20 minutes.”
Northampton team-mates Courtney Lawes and Dan Biggar will achieve a rare Six Nations feat when they captain their countries against each other on Saturday.
It is just a fourth occasion in Six Nations history for players from the same club to be rival skippers in the same game.
Former Stade Francais colleagues Sergio Parisse (Italy) and Pascal Pape (France) did it in 2013 and 2014, while Toulouse saw Gareth Thomas captain Wales against a Fabien Pelous-led France in 2005.
It only happened twice during Five Nations history, meanwhile in 1913 and 1914.
“It is a very proud moment for the club in terms of us both captaining in a huge game on Saturday – England versus Wales,” Wales fly-half Biggar said.
“I think ‘Courts’ will probably be the more relaxed of the two of us on Saturday afternoon, I would imagine. His style will be a lot more laid-back than mine.
“It’s a really special moment, actually. I’ve played with him over the last four years, and it will be really exciting on Saturday.”
Between them, Biggar and Lawes have 187 caps for their countries and eight British and Irish Lions Test match appearances.
Biggar added: “I think the biggest thing I’ve noticed with ‘Courts’ over the last few years is he has got the ability that when he speaks people tend to listen.
“That is a really positive trait to have in a captain and a senior player. I think you can have a lot of people who speak a lot of the time, but it can be white noise.”