Manu Tuilagi’s England career is OVER as the Sale star agrees two-year deal to join Bayonne at the end of the season after winning his 60th and final cap in France defeat

Manu Tuilagi’s England career is over, as the veteran Sale centre has agreed to join French club Bayonne at the end of this season, on a two-year contract.

The 32-year-old came off the bench in Lyon last Saturday to win his 60th and final cap for the country he made home, after following his older brothers to Leicester as a raw teenage rugby prospect from Samoa. 

Despite a multitude of injuries punctuating his career, he went on win a Grand Slam and play in a World Cup Final, as well as touring with the Lions and becoming a popular figure with team-mates and supporters alike.

Once it was apparent that Sale could not offer Tuilagi favourable terms, within the confines of the Premiership salary cap, he was forced to look abroad for opportunities. 

There was considerable interest from both France and Japan, and having realised that he would not receive one of the new, so-called ‘hybrid’ contracts from the RFU, for up to 25 England players, Tuilagi accepted that joining the cross-Channel exodus was the most enticing scenario.

The destructive centre came off the bench on Saturday in England’s narrow 33-31 defeat by France

Tuilagi won 60 caps for the Red Roses, and a number of Gallic clubs made approaches for the 32-year-old’s services

A number of Gallic clubs made approaches, including Montpellier and Perpignan – where his nephew, France lock Posolo, plays – but Bayonne have won the tussle for his signature. Tuilagi has signed terms to join the well-supported Basque club in the south west of France until the summer of 2026, subject to passing a medical.

While he will be best remembered for his thunderous performance in England’s shock win over New Zealand in 2012 at Twickenham, Tuilagi was a leading figure in several notable victories in more recent years. 

He was a midfield force in the England team which ambushed the All Blacks in Yokohama in 2019, en route to the World Cup Final – and was also prominent in the crushing win over Ireland in Dublin earlier that year, which was another highlight of the Eddie Jones era in charge.

Sale have already taken steps to replace him, by confirming the arrival of Fiji captain Waisea Nayacalevu from Toulon this summer, on a one-year deal.