Manu Tuilagi’s international future is in doubt after he was sent home in disgrace from England’s training camp, having returned drunk with a team-mate to the squad’s hotel at 4.30am yesterday.
Tuilagi and Denny Solomona, the Sale Sharks wing, rolled in just hours before they were due to take part in the only rugby session of England’s three-day pre-season camp in Teddington, southwest London.
Eddie Jones, the England head coach, was furious and he banished both players from the squad. The Times understands that their conduct will count against them when Jones selects his squads for the September training camp in Oxford and England’s three November internationals. Jones felt particularly let down because he has never banned alcohol nor imposed a curfew on his players, preferring to trust them to make the right professional decision.
Tuilagi and Solomona went back out on Sunday night after the rest of the squad had returned from dinner to the team hotel. The pair eventually got back from London shortly before dawn, which is about the time that Jones gets up for his early morning gym session.
“They’ve breached the code of conduct that the players try and live by and Eddie has made that decision,” Danny Care, the England scrum half, said.
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“It shows that no one is above the law. That’s the way it has been since Eddie has taken over. There’s a code of conduct we’re all signed up for. It’s about making the right decisions at the right time. We’re given a lot of licence by the coaches to make the right decisions. People know what is right and wrong and what to do at the right time and whatever happened last night wasn’t the right time.”
Jones will feel particularly disappointed by Tuilagi, about whom he spoke effusively on Friday. The 26-year-old’s inclusion in the 37-man training squad was seen as the first step towards kick-starting an international career that had been stalled by chest, groin, hamstring and knee injuries.
Tuilagi, who is expected to be fit for the start of the season after undergoing a knee operation in January, has played just 17 minutes of Test rugby since June 2014. This incident, though, is the latest off-field disciplinary episode to tarnish his reputation.
He was fined £3,000 by the RFU for jumping into Auckland Harbour during the 2011 World Cup and he was suspended by England for the 2015 tournament after a conviction for assaulting two female police officers.
Jones said on Friday that he was prepared to invest time and effort into Tuilagi because of his match-winning potential. Three days later, Tuilagi was being sent home.
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“I know he can demolish the All Blacks so he’s worth time, he’s worth effort and worth a lot of care,” Jones had said. “If his motivation and desire are right, he can be an outstanding player.”
When Stuart Lancaster was head coach, the England squad complained that they were treated like school-children. This is the first time that Jones has been forced to crack down on ill-discipline — and he has sent out a powerful message.
“[Eddie Jones] knows the strength in depth there is in the country at the moment and the number of players he can pick from, so you don’t want to make many mistakes,” Care said.
Ferry jumps and bunny ears
June 2010 Faced deportation for living in the UK illegally for six years on an expired holiday visa
May 2011 Punched Chris Ashton during Premiership semi-final. Ten-week ban reduced to five matches
October 2011 Wore an illegal mouthguard bearing a sponsor’s name. Fined £4,800 by Rugby World Cup officials
October 2011 Jumped off a ferry into Auckland harbour. Received formal warning from Auckland police, fined £3,000 by the RFU
September 2013 British & Irish Lions visit No 10 Downing Street where Tuilagi makes a ‘bunny ears’ hand gesture behind David Cameron’s head
May 2015 Convicted of assaulting two female police officers and a taxi driver plus criminal damage. Pays £6,205 in fines and compensation
The Harlequins scrum half had to fight his way back into the England team after he was dropped for drink-driving on New Year’s Day 2012. “As players we need to understand we are role models,” he said. “Manu will be disappointed, he’s been dying to get back into an England shirt.”
Matt O’Connor, the Leicester director of rugby, said that he would speak to Tuilagi on his return to the club.
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Steve Diamond, the Sale Sharks director of rugby, appeared to suggest that Solomona’s lack of time off since England’s tour of Argentina had been a factor. “This is disappointing because Denny has worked so hard since joining the club last December,” Diamond said. “He hasn’t had much time off and his performances earned him a place on the recent England tour to Argentina.”
The situation was an embarrassment to the RFU and their partners Canterbury because Tuilagi had been due to launch the new England kit yesterday.