Manu Tuilagi suffers ANOTHER injury setback as he undergoes knee surgery in a bid to be fit for the start of the 2022-23 season while under-pressure Eddie Jones is dealt a significant blow for the summer tour to Australia
- Manu Tuilagi’s injury means Eddie Jones is facing a midfield crisis this summer
- The Sale Sharks centre had missed England’s underwhelming Six Nations
- Tuilagi was out with a hamstring injury then and won’t be fit for Australia either
- Sale said that they had decided in consultation with England to pull him out
Manu Tuilagi has handed England head coach Eddie Jones a hammer blow after it was confirmed the Sale centre will miss this summer’s tour of Australia.
And with Exeter’s Henry Slade also set to be absent for July’s three Tests with the Wallabies it means Jones is now facing up to a midfield crisis.
Tuilagi missed England’s underwhelming Six Nations campaign with a hamstring injury. He had been due to face Wales before he had to pull out due to the problem reoccurring.
Manu Tuilagi will miss England’s summer tour of Australia, handing Eddie Jones a huge issue
Eddie Jones, the England coach, is under significant pressure and now faces further issues
On Thursday, Tuilagi’s club Sale confirmed he has undergone knee surgery and won’t face Australia as he bids to return to full fitness for the 2022/23 season.
Sale’s statement read: ‘Sale Sharks can confirm Manu Tuilagi has undergone a routine procedure on his knee which will rule the 31-year-old out of this summer’s England tour to Australia.
‘The club, in close consultation with England Rugby, have decided that a summer of rest and a full pre-season is the best course of action to ensure Manu is fit and available for Sale Sharks and England during a crucial year for both club and country.
The centre’s absence gives Eddie Jones a real headache over who he is able to select in midfield for the tour to Australia
‘Everyone at the club wishes Manu all the best for his recovery and looks forward to seeing him at Carrington for the start of pre-season.’
Slade – who has evolved into a key England figure – revealed on Wednesday evening he has undergone shoulder surgery.
The absence of both Tuilagi and Slade this summer robs Jones of two of his most trusted back-line lieutenants for what is a crucial series with Australia.
Sale Sharks say the decision was made in ‘close consultation’ with England to ensure his long-term fitness ahead of a ‘crucial’ year for club and country
After just two wins in the Six Nations for the second successive Championship, Jones is under pressure to prove his England plan is on track with the 2023 World Cup on the horizon.
Winning rugby in Australia is paramount to that after Jones received full backing from the Rugby Football Union to take his team through to the France tournament which will be his last in charge.
After returning from ankle surgery and impressing with Saracens, Owen Farrell is a certainty to start against Australia, most likely at inside centre and alongside fly-half prodigy Marcus Smith.
Manu Tuilagi’s last appearance for England came against South Africa in November 2021
Jones must now decide on the other component of his midfield with Tuilagi and Slade ruled out.
Joe Marchant of Harlequins will be the favourite to step up after an impressive season with club and country while Northampton tyro Tommy Freeman is also seen as a 13 option by Jones.
The problem for Jones – as he has acknowledged – is that he has no other player who can offer the midfield power Tuilagi provides.
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