Glad to see it's all been sorted out
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Glad to see it's all been sorted out
Leicester Tigers centre Manu Tuilagi has revealed that he invited Chris Ashton to a night out on the town to build bridges following his assault on the Northampton winger in the Aviva Premiership semi-final.
Tuilagi was banned for five weeks for a hat-trick of punches on the England star in Tigers' bruising 11-3 win against the Saints at Welford Road on May 14.
Tuilagi spoke to Ashton after the game and later telephoned him to arrange a clear-the-air meeting before they linked up with the England squad to prepare for the World Cup.
"'I rang him up and we went to the cinema and for a meal," Tuilagi told the Daily Mail at England's Pennyhill Park base in Surrey.
"We had a night out together. We watched Transformers . . . Romantic."
Tuilagi went home to Samoa days after the game to see his parents and get his "head together", but only after a good telling-off from elder brother Freddie, who said his sibling regretted his "moment of madness" and was so distraught he refused to leave his bedroom the following day.
Manu said: "I was surprised it was such a big story. I couldn't remember it afterwards much, it was all so fast. But it happened and it's done and dusted. The other guys have had a laugh about it.
"I'm just looking forward to having the chance to play with him. That would be cool."
Tuilagi said England manager Martin Johnson, himself no stranger to the RFU disciplinary office as a player, had not had any stern words with him.
"Not really. He just says keep doing what you're doing, day by day, on the pitch," said Tuilagi.
Tuilagi admitted it had been a "mad year" following his brush with deportation, success with Leicester, two major national awards and selection for the initial World Cup squad.
Threatened with deportation this time last year after staying in Leicester for six years on a holiday visa, he was eventually granted indefinite leave to stay thanks to the intervention of the Mercury and his supporters.
"For that reason it's been a mad year," he said.
"My ambition at the start of the season was simply to get in the Leicester first team and play in the Premiership.
"I was only in the academy side last year. But things have just gone really well for me, real quick. I'm just fortunate enough to be sitting here right now."
Tuilagi's brothers, notably Freddie, Henry and Alesana, have all played for Samoa, but he says he has not received any grief for opting to play for England.
"There's obviously some banter about it but it feels natural putting on an England shirt," he said.
"I've played for England at 18s and 20s and Saxons. It's a new environment in one way, but not in another. Rugby is rugby.
"You come into a place where all the best players in England are training and you come to meet them, person to person.
"I've also been here before for a couple of days' training during the Six Nations. It definitely helped having plenty of Leicester boys. We stick together."
Source
nathan- Posts : 11033
Join date : 2011-06-14
Location : Leicestershire
Re: Glad to see it's all been sorted out
My goodness. I'm so shocked to find out he isn't a mindless thug who goes about decking people. [EDIT: heavy sarcasm]
Good luck to the kid and I hope he's in the squad
Good luck to the kid and I hope he's in the squad
Last edited by HammerofThunor on Fri 08 Jul 2011, 5:56 pm; edited 1 time in total
HammerofThunor- Posts : 10471
Join date : 2011-01-29
Location : Hull, England - Originally Potteries
Re: Glad to see it's all been sorted out
Well, I guess you hit the point, eh Hammer?
He is still a kid, albeit a big, powerful kid, and made a stupid mistake. but an idiot? No.
I agree. Good luck to him.
He is still a kid, albeit a big, powerful kid, and made a stupid mistake. but an idiot? No.
I agree. Good luck to him.
doctor_grey- Posts : 12349
Join date : 2011-04-30
Re: Glad to see it's all been sorted out
I love rugby, a big lad hits another big lad in the face in the heat of the moment. Then a few weeks later they go and watch Transformers together. Where else but in Rugbyland?
Coleman- Posts : 1554
Join date : 2011-06-02
Location : Cardiff
Re: Glad to see it's all been sorted out
I was just about to say that's romantic but Manu beat me to it...
nottins_jones- Posts : 684
Join date : 2011-06-27
Age : 35
Location : Casnewydd
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