Cockers backs Tuilagi to become 'best in the world'

The Tigers' director of rugby heaped praise on the 21-year-old after he inspired his side to a 34-26 bonus point victory at Welford Road - their second maximum haul in as many games.

The England international scored two tries to take his tally to three in two games and produced a host of clean breaks and big tackles to the delight of the bumper 19,000 crowd and his boss who believes his match-winner is yet to reach his peak.

"Manu has had his criticism but, within our structure, he has been really good," said Cockerill. "He gets opportunities to run with the ball and his ability to create something from nothing is as good as ever.

"He is quality and is still very young. Myself, Matt O'Connor and everyone here thinks he is going to be around the best No.13 in world rugby within the next 12 months or so.

"We are delighted to have him here, he is a quality player. He needs to keep playing and further understand when to hold on and when to pass it; when to be tighter in defence and when to be a little bit more passive - but that will come. He is quality and we have some real firepower out there in the backs. We just need to harness it and make it accurate."

Cockerill was equally pleased with the performance of Fijian winger Vereniki Goneva who continues to impress having joined the Tigers from French second division side Tarbes in the summer.

"He really wanted to come to us," Cockerill added. "I warned him that it would be hard and that every day would be tough in training, but he was very keen to come to us. A lot of Top 14 clubs were keen on him as well but it wasn't a particularly hard sell.

"It is a bit of a punt because he hasn't played at this level in a side with a lot of structure, but he fits into our game plan very well. He has got some ability and is unpredictable and hopefully will get better during his time here."

I think everyone knows he is going to be very good...he is now.

We just need England to use him properly...not just wasting his talents as a battering ram...

Cockerill also said he would be going to the World cup before he had even finished one season at the top level......oh

Dream on cockers.

Hes a one trick pony, a very good one trick pony but limited none the less

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:

Cockerill was equally pleased with the performance of Fijian winger Vereniki Goneva... "He really wanted to come to us," Cockerill added. "I warned him that it would be hard and that every day would be tough in training, but he was very keen to come to us."

The man is obsessed with projecting this constant idea that training at Tigers is the number one toughest place in world rugby. He's always on about what they get up to behind closed doors; hitting each other, biting, stamping, teeth missing, legs dangling - intensive care after every session for the rookies who have to face the pit bull first teamers. He's obsessed with the image of brutality and effort.

It's a club Cockerill. It's rugby not Full Metal Jacket. Ease up, we know you train hard, like all other sides with a serious intention on titles.

Maybe that's based on players coming in saying that training is harder there than their other clubs? Some players haven't adjusted and don't settle. Maybe it was based on the lazy stereotype that Fijian wingers are lazy and don't like to train hard.

I think you're projecting about.

He is playing well, but I haven't seen any press releases about Rougerie, O'Driscoll or Conrad Smith retiring as a result of this proclamation just yet.

Totally agree that Cockerill apparently believes he is living in a Joe Pesci movie.

munkian wrote:

Hes a one trick pony, a very good one trick pony but limited none the less

Jamie Roberts is as well to be fair, and Nonu was when he started out

Jamie Roberts can kick and pass , he used to be a full back

munkian wrote:Jamie Roberts can kick and pass , he used to be a full back

Yea but have you ever seen him do those things whilst playing at 12?... I certainly haven't, he's a limited centre

munkian wrote:Jamie Roberts can kick and pass , he used to be a full back

So can Manu, just not seen in a white shirt.

The full interview talked about what he has been working on and why Cockers expects him to improve significantly this year.

Also I do get amazed how upset people get by comments made by coaches in reply to loaded questions. To be fair non-welsh fans have been wound up by Gatland over the years, just as non-tigers fans get wound up by Cockers answering the questions that are asked. Of course if he refused to answere questions he would be accused of being obnoxious and rude.

LondonTiger makes a really good point. And a good example about Gatland. It's almost impossible for coaches to look good in interviews because what is reported is not the whole story. Gatland has been 'caught out' by this on a number of occasions. An honest answer, like 'we want to be the best in the world', when displayed as a headline smacks of arrogance, etc. But, in the context of an interview about the ambitions of his players, coaches and management staff then it's nothing more than burning ambition, and an honest answer to a straight question.

I have to say here that Cockerill has said nothing wrong, and Tuilagi I think could be become one of the best 13s out there because, 1) he's very good already and still quite young, and 2) there's not a huge number of outside centres creating waves at the moment. So why not Tuilagi?

It's not as simple as Cockerill seems to think. Hey presto - the Leicester midas touch and M.Tuilagi's the greatest 13 in the world!

Tuilagi could well get there but it's important that he forges an effective centre partnership with someone for England to get there and players surrounding him that create opportunities.

Is Allen (the starting 12 for Leicester) going to fit this bill?

George Carlin those 3 players you mention all have crucial 12s who play with them for their club.

Darcy-BOD - Leinster and Ireland

Nonu-Smith -New Zealand (before both starting playing for New Zealand, played numerous club games together)

Fofana-Rougerie - Clermont

Twelvetrees is the only 12 in England who really springs to mind.

Lots of good 13's though

munkian wrote:

Hes a one trick pony, a very good one trick pony but limited none the less

Yeah but i bet you would be willing to trade him for his brother at the Dragons.

Being serious he does what he does well, but I am not sure that he will be able to continue to do it season upon season without there being an effective way of dealing with it being found and ultilised by most teams. A bit like with Roberts when the English learnt that if you put him down early that he is not that effective, Roberts then went from being one of the best in his position in the world to struggling to justify his welsh shirt.

HammerofThunor wrote:Maybe that's based on players coming in saying that training is harder there than their other clubs? Some players haven't adjusted and don't settle. Maybe it was based on the lazy stereotype that Fijian wingers are lazy and don't like to train hard.

I think you're projecting about.

Hammer - Cockerill is the one who projects. I listen.

He scores tries,give him space and he will be over the line nobody will stop him four meters out with zero defenders to beat,

well except Sam Warburton.

I think Manu is okay and got years ahead of him,but Tigers are hardly the bench mark for world rugby.

I do genuinely think the Tigers training regime is more brutal than others hence more injuries but also means they toughen themselves up.

I remember after a certain game at WR seeing this article:

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Leicester-Tigers-survive-brutal-training-session/story-13419291-detail/story.html

I don't buy into the we train spartan style crap, its rugby not initiation into a criminal organization.
They are a rugby team ffs! not some organization who encourage violence,cheating,or control the law enforcers to turn a blind eye when on there patch and bring in legal teams to pressure authorities in control to get what they want

I agree with Cockers actually.

The highlights did show him playing very well.

Second try will probably be a contender for try of the season, along with Eastmonds for Bath. Although I was more impressed with the team interplay for his first.

Still I'll wait till after the AI's and how the cackhanded Int Coaches go with him. If he can still impress against the big three after two weeks of Andy Farrell stealing his soul then he's definitely made for great things.

Damn I wish premtv or someone put together a tries of the week compilation like the T14 has.

M.Tuilagi is a quality player agreed. He is one of those England players who I think has the potential to be world class.

As you say Yappysnap he needs a lot of things to go his way though - a good centre partnership, not messed around by international coaches, make his game more well rounded etc. Cockerill can only control a certain amount. He can make sure M.Tuilagi performs for Leicester but in internationals it's Catt and Farrell.

Gowales let's see what the overhyped Twelvetrees does for Gloucester before seeing him as England's saviour at 12.

How did he get on vs LI?

After what Farrell did to Barritt then Tuilagi is doomed.

Griff wrote:LondonTiger makes a really good point. And a good example about Gatland. It's almost impossible for coaches to look good in interviews because what is reported is not the whole story. Gatland has been 'caught out' by this on a number of occasions. An honest answer, like 'we want to be the best in the world', when displayed as a headline smacks of arrogance, etc. But, in the context of an interview about the ambitions of his players, coaches and management staff then it's nothing more than burning ambition, and an honest answer to a straight question.

I have to say here that Cockerill has said nothing wrong, and Tuilagi I think could be become one of the best 13s out there because, 1) he's very good already and still quite young, and 2) there's not a huge number of outside centres creating waves at the moment. So why not Tuilagi?

+1

The jealousy of Tigers' success, manifesting itself as borderline hysteria, is always tangible here when a Cockers quote is published.

Jimpy where's the jealousy? Most of us think M.Tuilagi could make it. Lots of factors and variables though standing in his way.

beshocked wrote:Jimpy where's the jealousy? Most of us think M.Tuilagi could make it. Lots of factors and variables though standing in his way.

I wasn't talking about you personally.

beshocked wrote:M.Tuilagi is a quality player agreed. He is one of those England players who I think has the potential to be world class.

As you say Yappysnap he needs a lot of things to go his way though - a good centre partnership, not messed around by international coaches, make his game more well rounded etc. Cockerill can only control a certain amount. He can make sure M.Tuilagi performs for Leicester but in internationals it's Catt and Farrell.

Gowales let's see what the overhyped Twelvetrees does for Gloucester before seeing him as England's saviour at 12.

How did he get on vs LI?

I watched the Irish - Glos replay the other day and he played well imo.
Good distribution, ran intelligent lines and offloaded the ball well. I can't really comment on his defence as i didn't really focus on that but i assume this is his main weakness at the moment, or at least perceived weakness.

SecretFly wrote:

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:

Cockerill was equally pleased with the performance of Fijian winger Vereniki Goneva... "He really wanted to come to us," Cockerill added. "I warned him that it would be hard and that every day would be tough in training, but he was very keen to come to us."

The man is obsessed with projecting this constant idea that training at Tigers is the number one toughest place in world rugby. He's always on about what they get up to behind closed doors; hitting each other, biting, stamping, teeth missing, legs dangling - intensive care after every session for the rookies who have to face the pit bull first teamers. He's obsessed with the image of brutality and effort.

It's a club Cockerill. It's rugby not Full Metal Jacket. Ease up, we know you train hard, like all other sides with a serious intention on titles.

Your clearly talking out of your behind, to say that he's always on about the training ground bust up's is nothing short of a lie. Simple as that.