Exclusive: Manu Tuilagi reflects on ‘amazing’ career in England and at Sale Sharks ahead of ‘exciting’ Bayonne move
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Updated 24/03/2024 at 20:05 GMT
Manu Tuilagi spoke to TNT Sports following Sale Sharks' defeat to Bath on Sunday about his long farewell to English Rugby. The 32-year-old has signed a two-year deal at Top 14 side Bayonne in France, which will see him leave the Gallagher Premiership Rugby for the first time in 15 years. “It’s been amazing. It’s been nearly four years and I’ve loved it so far," he said on his time at Sale.
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Manu Tuilagi says he will be sad to leave Sale Sharks after an “amazing” career in England as he closes in on a move to Bayonne in France.
The 32-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Top 14 side which will begin next season, ending his 15-year career in England.
Tuilagi joined Sale in 2020 after 11 years at Leicester Tigers and has played 41 times for the Gallagher Premiership outfit, most recently in a 42-24 defeat to Bath on Sunday.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, in which he scored a try, the England international reflected on his time in the Gallagher Premiership Rugby and at Sale Sharks.
“It’s been amazing,” he said. “It’s been nearly four years and I’ve loved it so far. My wife is happy that we know where we’re going to be next year because last year we didn’t sign until the end of May, so she’s happy and I’m happy.
“It will be sad [leaving Sale]. I always say that the environment, you want to wake up and go into the club. It makes it easier, you always love your rugby but if the environment is good at the same time you can just go on the field and enjoy the game.”
Following the conclusion of the Premiership campaign, Tuilagi will make the trip over the Channel and join Bayonne in southern France in the summer.
The team are currently ninth in the Top 14 standings and Tuilagi revealed he wanted assurances about the club’s vision before putting pen to paper.
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“We’ve had quite a few meetings to talk a lot about the club and the people, the players, the coaches, what their vision in the next couple of years is,” he explained.
“I signed for two years and I like to know clarity on what we’re going after. We’ve got that now and for me it’s exciting.
“It’s a great club, I’ve heard a lot of good things about the club and a lot of amazing things about the place, so yeah, I’m excited.
“I’ve never lived out there. It’s exciting, it’s going to be a good experience for me, rugby-wise and life-wise for my wife and my kids.
“I look forward to it and we get to see a lot of my brothers, sisters and nephews, there are about 30 of them over there.”
The move to France means Tuilagi can no longer play for England as he will not be representing a Gallagher Premiership Rugby side.
The Samoa-born centre has earned 60 caps and was part of the winning Six Nations squads in 2016 and 2020, when England claimed the Triple Crown in both years.
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PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 27: Manu Tuilagi of England celebrates victory at full-time following the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Bronze Final match between Argentina and England at Stade de France on October 27, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Franco Arland
Image credit: Eurosport
He was also part of the squad that lost to South Africa in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final, but revealed his best memory at international level came a year earlier.
“I’d probably say the Australia game when I got back from a long period of injuries,” he said, referencing England’s emphatic 37-18 win over the Wallabies in 2018.
“I tried to get back before that and got injured again, then injured again. So, finally getting that last 10, 15 minutes against Australia.
“It was a great win as well so that’s probably one of my favourite moments. But there are loads.”
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